Living Begum Akhtar

Padmini Kolhapure, who plays the legendary singer in a play, shares that her sister and co-star Tejaswini, suggested that Talat Aziz sing her ghazals live on stage for a one-of-a-kind experience

- Roshmila Bhattacharya

She never acted in school plays and the first time she had to sing on stage at an awards function, Padmini Kolhapure was so nervous that her mentor, Raj Kapoor, who was in the audience, had to clap to the beat to boost her confidence. However, since then, the actress has worked in over 70 films and done several plays, including the emotional Kaash, a story of two sisters with her playing a call girl to support the family, madcap comedies like Aasmaan Se Gira Khajoor Mein Atka with brother-in-law Shakti Kapoor and Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon with Naveen Bawa, also Baap Ka Baap with Asrani and Bawa again which she describes as "full-on Bollywood with song, dance, drama and comedy". More recently, she's been in the news for the play Ammi... Akhtari, written by DR M Sayeed Alam, which celebrates Dr Begum Akhtar's life, times and contributions in the 50th year of her passing.

Padmini shares that when director Saif Hyder Hasan approached her to play Begum Akhtar, her immediate reaction was, "No way!" She pointed out that she would have to speak in chaste Urdu and he would expect her to sing like the legendary ghazal queen. "No way!" she reiterated.

Unfazed, Saif coaxed her to read the script, promising her that they would get a professional singer to sing the ghazals and dadras which intersperse the narrative at crucial points. He eventually got not just Padmini on board, but also her sister Tejaswini Kolhapure, who plays Begum Akhtar's shagird, Sukhi.