Shabana Azmi turns 75! Divya Dutta reflects on their long time friendship

Divya Dutta couldn’t hide her joy as her inspiration, the legendary Shabana Azmi, turned 75 on September 18. The milestone was celebrated with an intimate gathering of friends and family, attended by Rekha, Urmila Matondkar, Vidya Balan, Preity Zinta, Naseeruddin Shah and others.Reflecting on the evening, Divya shared, “Shabanaji has always celebrated life and that was the mood of her birthday party. I don’t think number (age) mattered. She is always full of zest. Shabanaji is the star of every party. And everyone was in their element at the party.”Speaking about their bond, she said, “She’s an integral part in my life - right from doing Umrao Jaan (2006) with her, to her writing the prologue of my book to just sharing a beautiful bond with her over so many films we have done together. She’s such a source of strength and the biggest cheerleader. I celebrate her every day.”Recalling how it all began, Divya said, “During our first film together (Umrao Jaan) I had a dance sequence where I’m performing and Shabana ji’s character is looking at me. The moment she looked at me I was like, ‘Oh my God, she is my favourite actor. After the shot, I didn’t even look at her as I was so nervous. She said, ‘Shabaash, bohot accha kiya’. I will never forget those lines, and I think the encouragement she gave me that day laid the foundation of the special bond we share. I don’t think a lot of people have that kind of sensitivity or that zest for life which she has.”On Shabana and Javed Akhtar, Divya added, “When you’re with Shabana Azmi or with Javed Sahab, there’s never a dull moment. There is wit, humour, laughter and intelligent discussions. They are a tonic of life. They teach you how to live life to the fullest. When I see them, I forget my worries.”