For
the
first
time,
Shabana
Azmi's
sister-in-law
Tanvi
Azmi
plays
Big
B's
wife
in
Aarakshan.
Earlier
Shabana
Azmi
had
played
the
Big
B's
leading
lady
three
decades
ago
in
Main
Azaad
Hoon.
All
subsequent
attempts
to
bring
them
together
in
recent
years,
including
Rituparno
Ghosh's
take
on
Satyajit
Ray's
life-story,
failed.
At
that
time
a
mutual
friend
of
Shabana
and
Big
B
had
commented,
"Their
kundalis
don't
match
on
screen.
Shabana
and
Amitabh
are
essentially
two
very
strong
actors
and
personalities
who
are
unable
to
complement
one
another
on
screen.
It's
unlikely
they
will
ever
be
seen
together
again."
Ditto
the
other
actresses
who
match
the
Big
B's
aura
and
personality,
namely
Sharmila
Tagore,
Dimple
Kapadia
and
Madhuri
Dixit.
All
attempts
to
bring
Big
B
together
with
these
divas
just
fell
through.
Looking
for
a
screen-wife
for
Amitabh
Bachchan
has
become
increasingly
difficult.
The
number
of
saleable
senior
actresses
who
can
work
with
him
is
seriously
limited.
Says
a
source,
"The
one
actress
who
matches
Big
B
perfectly
on
screen
is
Jaya
Bachchan.
And
she
won't
work
with
him
unless
the
role
is
substantial.
For
the
same
reason
Big
B's
successful
pairing
with
Hema
Malini
in
Baghban
and
Babul
couldn't
be
carried
forward.
The
heroines
who
match
his
age
personality
and
talent
seek
to
share
equal
screen
space
with
him."
A
hunt
is
on
for
ladies
of
stature
to
match
Big
B.
In
Aarakshan,
Big
B's
better-half
is
played
by
Tanvi
Azmi.
It's
a
first
for
the
co
star-challenged
Bachchan
who
seems
to
be
having
a
great
time
shooting
with
his
new
leading
lady
in
Bhopal.
Says
a
source
from
location,
"Mr.
Bachchan
has
worked
with
Tanvi's
mother
the
yesteryears'
actress
Usha
Kiron
in
Hrishikesh
Mukherjee's
Chupke
Chupke.
There
was
instant
bonding
between
them."
Says
Prakash,
"We
needed
a
face
that
wasn't
over-exposed
to
play
Bachchan
Saab's
wife.
In
her
entire
career,
Tanvi
has
hardly
done
a
handful
of
films.
She
plays
Bachchan
Saab's
wife
and
is
there
throughout
the
film.
We're
happy
we
cast
Tanvi
because
we
didn't
want
to
fall
back
on
the
tried-and-tested
co
stars
for
Mr.
Bachchan."
Earlier
Rakeysh
Omprakash
Mehra
had
cast
Nandita
Das
opposite
the
Big
B
in
Aks.
The
Bachchan's
family
friend
Romesh
Sharma
had
actually
got
the
Tamil
actress
Revathi
over
to
co-star
with
Big
B
in
Dil
Jo
Bhi
Kahey.
After
Tanvi
Azmi
in
Aarakshan,
it
is
expected
to
be
Meryl
Streep
in
Balki
(Paa)'s
next.
Story first published: Friday, February 18, 2011, 15:46 [IST]