Amol Palekar recalls directing Vijaya Mehta in Quest: 'Her presence carried an intellectual aura'

Vijaya Mehta and Amol Palekar. Pics/mid-day archives, Instagram

Vijayabai acted in my Marathi film Thang [2007] and its English version, Quest. Both films were an attempt to explore the complexities of man-woman relationships against the backdrop of same-sex relationships. When they were made, there had been virtually no Indian-language films that dealt with this subject.

Vijayabai played the mother of a young lawyer whose husband is revealed to be in a same-sex relationship. She portrayed a deeply supportive mother with remarkable restraint - never patronising, never transgressing her daughter's personal space. The quiet dignity and empathy she brought to the role were extraordinary.

One of the film's most moving moments is when her character speaks about her own husband, who had multiple extramarital affairs, and reflects on how she had learnt to live with that pain. Vijayabai conveyed the anguish, resilience, and acceptance of that woman with exceptional subtlety and emotional truth.
Her presence always carried an intellectual aura. She had the rare ability to communicate the inner life of a character with the slightest gesture, expression, or pause. Her performances were never loud, yet they left a profound impact.

Did you know?

‘Quest' was Vijaya Mehta's final on-screen performance