Veteran Indian actress Shabana Azmi recently enchanted audiences during a masterclass led by actress Vidya Balan at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. The two icons exchanged insights about their careers, the challenges of acting in different mediums, and their perspectives on the evolution of Hindi cinema.

When discussing her theatre experience, particularly her acclaimed performances in "Tumhari Amrita" and "Broken Images," Shabana remarked, "I still consider myself primarily a film actor. I'm trained in cinema and understand it much better. However, the ideal scenario for an actor is to work in both mediums."

She acknowledged the challenges of theatre, saying, "While it isn’t my first medium, the thrill of live performance is unparalleled. That said, I wouldn’t call it the most satisfying because a film performance has permanence, whereas theatre is fleeting."

Vidya echoed similar sentiments about theatre, admitting, "I’ve been offered several plays, but I haven’t had the courage to accept. The thought of performing in front of a live audience is quite intimidating."

Vidya also pointed out Shabana's diverse filmography, ranging from arthouse cinema to mainstream blockbusters. When asked about the varying impacts and receptions of her extensive body of work, Shabana responded, "I simply enjoy the process. I trust the director completely. For instance, if I asked someone like Manmohan Desai, 'What does this mean?' he might say, 'This isn’t a Satyajit Ray film, just go with it' (laughs). And in those moments, you’re happy to surrender to a director with such conviction."