On the inaugural day of the Kolkata Literary Meet at Kala Mandir, Shabana Azmi delivered a stellar performance of Broken Images, a play written by Girish Karnad that explores the complex bond between two sisters while delving into themes of identity and self-perception. The audience, packed to the rafters, witnessed Shabana’s mastery as she switched effortlessly between the roles of Manjula Sharma and her paraplegic sister. However, the evening wasn’t without its hiccups—technical glitches played an uninvited role in the drama.
From frozen screens to sound glitches, challenges kept popping up initially, but Shabana’s quick wit and improvisational brilliance turned potential disasters into comic interludes. At one point, she humorously hummed while waiting for the visuals to catch up, later quipping about past performances where suddenly the screen had gone off but she went back as if to "fix" the TV and it started working, and how the audience thought it was part of the act. Through these hiccups, Shabana held the audience captive, proving once again that the essence of live theatre lies as much in its unpredictability as its artistry.
Poll of perspectives
A poll among the audience revealed a divide in sympathies—more people leaned towards Manjula, the ambitious yet flawed Hindi writer than Malini, her intellectually superior but vulnerable sister. The play’s brilliance lies in how it resonates differently with each viewer. Reflecting on this, Shabana Azmi shared, “When I started, I had no idea where my sympathies would lie. I remember asking Girish [Karnad] whose side I should be on. He told me, ‘You decide—you’re the actor, I just wrote it.’” She further explained that while Manjula has committed a grave act, her deep insecurities and intellectual inadequacies evoke empathy, especially when Malini’s innocence and probing nature push her to the edge.
"We did the entire screenshot in one take! During rehearsals, my sister, a fine actor, stood in for the other role so my eyeline could match. In a play like this, that’s absolutely crucial.” – Shabana Azmi
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