Shabana Azmi reminisces the last show with Farooq Shaikh on his death anniversary

Today on December 28, commemorating the eighth death anniversary of the late veteran actor Farooq Shaikh, Bollywood icon Shabana Azmi paid a poignant tribute to her dear friend on Instagram. Farooq Shaikh, known for his remarkable performances in films such as Umrao Jaan, Biwi Ho To Aisi, and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, left an indelible mark on the industry before his untimely demise due to a heart attack in Dubai in 2013.

Shabana Azmi shared a touching photograph of Farooq Shaikh on her Instagram handle, accompanying it with a heartfelt note that reminisced about their enduring friendship spanning four decades.

 In the post, Shabana Azmi recalled their last performance together in Tumhari Amrita, which took place nearly a decade ago in front of the iconic Taj Mahal. She shared a moment of their conversation about the show, where Farooq expressed his desire to continue it for another 22 years.

The post read, “10 years... I remember so clearly that on 14th Dec we did our last show of Tumhari Amrita in front of the Taj Mahal. I remarked that we can never find a venue to match the Taj and that it should be our last show since we had been playing it for 22 years. Pat came your reply 'why should we pull the curtains on Tumhari Amrita - we will do it for another 22 years!' 14 days later you were gone… and with it were washed away a deep friendship of 40 years... I can never play Amrita again with my Zulfi gone... I miss you Firkee.”

Shabana Azmi and Farooq Shaikh, stalwarts of Indian cinema, collaborated on various projects, including memorable films like Ek Pal and Anjuman, leaving an indomitable legacy of their on-screen chemistry.