Mumbai, Sep 18, 2025
Taking a trip down memory lane, Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar recalled her first meeting with National Award-winner Shabana Azmi during the photo shoot of their classic film Masoom in 1983.
Penning a birthday wish for Shabana, who turned 75 on Thursday, Urmila took to Instagram and shared a string of images from the film, an adaptation of the 1980 Erich Segal novel Man, Woman and Child, which marked her debut as a child actor.
“Year 1983..location Janki Kutir. Tiny, anxious n nervous me see the the great Shabana Azmi for photo shoot of “Masoom” n thereafter it’s been an exceptional bond of love, respect, admiration, learning, laughters, madness n so much more (sic).”
She added: “There are many things I could thank you for but above all it would have to be for constantly reminding me “how to live life at its fullest with everything that it throws at you”!!! Thank you for always being there inspiring tremendously on screen n caressing me with all your generosity n warmth Deeply cherish your presence in my life (sic) !!”
Calling Shabana a queen, she added: “Happy Birthday Queen 75 never rocked more than this
@azmishabana18.”
“Masoom” marked the directorial debut of Shekhar Kapur. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Jugal Hansraj and Saeed Jaffrey in lead roles, with Tanuja and Supriya Pathak in special appearances.
The film follows the tale of Devendra Kumar, whose family life is disrupted when he discovers he has an illegitimate child from a past affair. He brings the young boy, Rahul, home, but his wife, Indu, fails to accept the child.
Talking about Urmila, her 1995 blockbuster “Rangeela” is all set to return on the big screen as it completed three decades in the Hindi film industry.
As part of the Ultra Rewind initiative by Ultra Media, the restored release aims to rekindle the magic for longtime fans and introduce its timeless appeal to new generations.
Rangeela revolved around Mili’s ambition of becoming a famous actor but was met with several hurdles when Raj Kamal, a noted actor, and Munna, her childhood friend, both fell in love with her. The film also stars Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff.(Agency)
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