Actor on playing Maharani Jind Kaur, mother of King Duleep Singh, in her international film
Shabana Azmi (right) in a still from the film
Shabana Azmi (right) in a still from the film
Shabana Azmi will be seen in a royal avatar in her upcoming international film, Kavi Raz's The Black Prince. The veteran actor plays Maharani Jind Kaur (1817 –1863), the youngest wife of the first king of the Sikh empire, Ranjit Singh, and the mother of the last king, Duleep Singh. The British in India described the maharani as "a seductress, too rebellious to be controlled".
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Speaking to mid-day from London, where she's currently shooting for another project, Azmi says, "It is a delicious character. The maharani was a feisty woman. She had to live most of her life without her son, Duleep, as he was raised in England by Queen Victoria. At 25, Duleep made a journey back to India to know who his mother was."
Known for her acting chops, Azmi says the makers' research made it easy for her to get into the skin of the character. "Jasjeet Singh, the film's co-producer, is a historian. His knowledge made it easier for me to understand the maharani's mindset. It's fascinating to know about her life. She died when she was 45, but her life was full of epoch-making moments."
Azmi adds, "It's a strong role. Most of the parts were shot in England. In one of the scenes, Kaur tells Queen Victoria that she is drinking tea in cups stolen from India, much to the horror of the Queen's attendants. But that's how Jind Kaur was."
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