Actress Saba Azad is stepping into one of the busiest and perhaps most creatively fulfilling phases of her career. Over the next few months, the actor will be seen juggling worlds that are wildly different in tone but united by one thing: filmmakers who trust actors enough to let them play.
First, she returns as Dr Vidushi in Season 2 of Who`s Your Gynac? on Amazon MX Player. Then comes Bandar, directed by Anurag Kashyap, followed by Storm, backed by Hrithik Roshan for Prime Video.
Saba Azad on Bandar
What particularly excites Azad about both Bandar and Storm is the kind of ensemble they bring together, actors from different industries, different regions, different schools of performance, all thrown into the same creative storm. She admits that especially on Bandar, the diversity of the cast turned the set into something resembling a giant playground for actors.
Talking to mid-day, Saba speaks about the kind of reverence actors have for a filmmaker like Kashyap.
“Anurag collects a litany of excellent actors every time he makes a film. He commands that kind of respect. People will say yes even for a one-scene part because he gives actors respect. He writes every character, even the smallest one, with depth. Every character has a story; they’re not just there to support the main character,” she says.
That, she believes, is what makes actors willingly surrender themselves to his worlds.
“People know that even within a small part, they will be seen, noticed, and appreciated. That’s why he manages to bring together such amazing actors. It was such a pleasure to be on a set with other theatre actors. I come from theatre, so for me, it was just a delight.”
But more than anything else, it was the freedom that stayed with her.
“How wonderful it is to be told that the script is just a map, and that you’re free to do as you please- go, improvise. I was like a kid in playschool. I was such a happy actor, and I really enjoyed that,” she says with a happy smile.
Saba on the intensity of Storm
If Bandar gave her the joy of creative chaos, Storm offered intensity of a different kind. Azad credits director Ajitpal Singh for building that world.
“He’s nothing short of a genius. I watched Tabbar and it blew my mind. I remember finishing it in one day because it was so intense, but I just couldn’t stop watching. And now that I know him and talk to him, I’m just in awe of that man’s talent. There’s no way I would have ever said no to his film. I’m so glad I did Storm,” she says.
The actor recently wrapped filming her portions of the film, while the overall project is expected to wrap soon. “It was an intense shoot, to say the least. But as an actor, it’s been a very rewarding journey,” she adds.
Saba Azad on choosing creativity over money
Interestingly, Azad believes the freedom she seeks as an actor comes from the fact that she never had to depend solely on acting to survive. Music, voice work, and playback singing gave her financial independence long before acting became central to her career.
“I think music really gave me that luxury- my voiceover career, and even playback singing gave me the freedom to say, ‘I don’t want to do this,’ because I can pay my bills,” she says when asked if she ever had to compromise creative choice to pay her bills.
For someone who grew up in a theatre family and has been performing since the age of six, acting, she says, still remains a space of joy rather than survival.
“I’ve managed, by and large, to keep acting in the pocket of absolute joy for me, and not have to do something just because bills need to be paid. Perhaps a project here and there, but mostly I feel like I’ve done things for the love of the project,” she concluded.
