Prior to her lauded act as Aisan Daulat Begum in the period drama, The Empire, Shabana Azmi reunited with her Masoom (1983) director Shekhar Kapur. An upcoming British cross-cultural romantic comedy, What’s Love Got to Do With It? sees her rub shoulders with Emma Thompson in the film set in London and South Asia.

The actor tells mid-day, “Shekhar has always been an actor’s director, and we are always in sync. It feels like no time has passed since we first worked together. He is soft spoken and keeps everyone in good humour. We were working when the effects of the pandemic were at its peak in London. So, it could have been stressful, but the vibe on the sets was upbeat.”

What’s Love Got To Do With It? is written and produced by Jemima Goldsmith, Nicky Kentish, Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan, and co-stars Lily James, Sajal Ali, Shazad Latif, Rob Brydon and Asim Chaudhry. Kapur makes his return to direction 14 years after he won the Oscar for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).

Revealing her pleasant interlude with British actor Thomson, Azmi says, “Emma is everything I expected her to be and more—warm, generous, funny and socially conscious. We have been in touch with each other. She has promised to come to India.”

Quiz her on what she finds exciting as an actor, and Azmi says, “There are a plethora of nuanced characters today. For me, the script is more exciting than the part alone. I am aware that a great part can be marred by a weak script. I don’t think the actor can rise above the part. My choices are based on this belief. When I worked with Shirley Mclaine [in Madame Sousatzka] in the late ’80s, we rehearsed one scene from 9 am to 6 pm. At 7.30 pm Shirley turned up at our director John Schlesinger’s house. I was staying there so witnessed that conversation. She had one more idea on how events could unfold.”