Shabana exchanged notes on Bollywood with Malaysian PM

By Subhash K Jha

Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS) Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who was felicitated by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak, says she exchanged notes on Bollywood with him.

Shabana and her writer husband Javed Akhtar were to fly to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday to be felicitated as Asia's power couple for exemplary contribution to the field of art and entertainment. However, Shabana landed in Kuala Lumpur solo.

"Javed is down with a viral fever. So I had to make it here on my own," Shabana explained after receiving the award on behalf of the couple.

No stranger to global honour and recognition, Shabana describes the Malaysian experience as unforgettable.

"The ceremony where the Malaysian PM gave me the award on behalf of Javed and I was memorable. But even better was the closed-door dinner with the Malaysian PM. It was attended by only eight people."

Shabana and Razak exchanged notes on Bollywood. She was thrilled to know he was aware that Farhan Akhtar's "Don" was shot in Langkawi in Malaysia.

Otherwise, Razak has seen only two Hindi films.

Guess which ones?

"Karan Johar's 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' and S.S. Rajamouli's 'Baahubali'. That's all. No, he hadn't seen any of my films, not even 'Arth'. Never mind. He was articulate, well-read and very interesting," Shabana laughed as she flew out of Kuala Lumpur to Sydney for the 7th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards, where she is a part of jury headed by Russell Crowe.