All Fashion, No Films: Shabana Azmi on Cannes Then & Now

Actor Shabana Azmi talks about how we’ve become obsessed with who wore what at Cannes.

Shyam Benegal with Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil at the Cannes Film Festival in 1976. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/AzmiShabana)

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi has been quite vocal about her criticism of the Indian representation at Cannes. Azmi, who went to Cannes in 1976 tells us how the media attention at the festival is no longer the films, but about the fashion and who wore what.

Q: Shabana, why aren’t we winning anything at Cannes?

Shabana Azmi: Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar, Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali, Mira Nair’s Salam Bombay, Vikramaditya Motwane's Udaan have all won at Cannes. But you are right, they are too few and far in between. In fact very few get selected in the Competition section at all. Both Shyam Benegal’s Nishant and Mrinal Sen’s Genesis were exceptions.

Q: You are featured in both Nishant and Genesis. And you went to Cannes?

Shabana Azmi: That was much later and I couldn’t go. The first time I went to Cannes, in 1976, we were sanctioned only 8 USD as the official amount we could carry individually.

We used to eat a hearty breakfast which was included in the hotel tarrif and survive on french fries the rest of the day like bhukkads. We were dismayed when for some reason the publicity material didn’t arrive and we had no money to host parties or make our presence felt.

Shyam hit upon an idea. He asked Smita and me to wear our best Kanjeevarams and parade up and down the promenade! Heads did turn and we would walk up earnestly and say, ‘Please come for our screening’. We aroused enough curiosity and amusement but we had a packed house!

Q: Why didn’t you attend when Genesis and Nishant were shown?

Shabana Azmi: In 1986, I was to leave for Cannes with Mrinal Sen for Genesis but I opted out the night I was to leave and sat on a hunger strike on behalf of our organisation Nivara Hakk for five days along with Anand Patwardhan and three slum dwellers demanding alternative accommodation for a slum in Colaba that had been demolished to make way for an MLA hostel. Five days later, Shashi Kapoor went to the then CM, SB Chavan, and negotiated on behalf of Nivara Hakk. We won and the slum dwellers did get land. I will always remain grateful to Shashiji for that.

Q: When did you finally attend Cannes in luxury?

Shabana Azmi: Years later I was invited to present an award at Cannes and stayed at the majestic Carlton Hotel which I used to pass by longingly when we went there for Nishant! Cannes is an important festival and the films that win are usually outstanding. It is also an important market.

Alas! We are obsessed with who wore what instead of the films. Sure the media has succeeded in hyping up the clothes worn on the red carpet - fashion brands that have leading stars as brand ambassadors spend a fortune on showcasing them, which is fine but at the end of the day, the best representation can only be when your film is selected in the official section, when your film succeeds in making some sales and when Indian films have started to make a mark.

Q: A film of yours is being screened in Cannes this year as well?

Shabana Azmi: We had a screening of The Black Prince on Sunday and the leading man Satinder Sartaj was quite the belle of the ball because it was the first time a man in a turban was walking the red carpet!

Q: I believe you also did your share of a protest on the red carpet at Cannes?

Shabana Azmi: I was very annoyed when a few years ago it was published that the Festival authorities had ruled you couldn't walk the red carpet in flats. Mercifully there was a huge hue and cry, I expressed my displeasure strongly too and the missive was hastily withdrawn.