In an industry where female friendships don’t usually thrive, some women continue to disprove the norm by retaining bonds of affection that have stood the test of time. Two such actors are Shabana Azmi and Rekha.

This friendship surfaced again when Rekha suggested that Shabana play a role in JP Dutta’s Umrao Jaan - the role previously essayed by Shabana’s mother, Shaukat Azmi.

Says Shabana, “Rekha had played my mother’s daughter Muzaffar Ali’s Umrao Jaan. She insisted that I do my mother’s role in JP’s version of the same story.”

Shabana has never worked with Dutta, though hubby Javed Akhtar has written some of his best lyrics for his films. Shabana is looking forward to playing Aishwarya’s mother. Director Rituparno Ghosh too feels, that Shabana and Ash would be convincing as mother and daughter.

“It’s very emotional for me to do a role that my mother has done,” says Shabana. She has good friend Rekha to thank for the opportunity.