Behind the scenes: Shabana Azmi’s nostalgic posts on Fire’s 1996 launch

Shabana Azmi revisited one of her career highlights by posting archival images from the 1996 launch of the groundbreaking movie Fire. The veteran star uploaded a picture taken in Spain with director Deepa Mehta and co‑star Nandita Das, all sharing a candid laugh. In the accompanying text she recalled the excitement surrounding the film’s overseas debut, calling it “a lot of fun with Deepa and Nandita.” A second post from April displayed Azmi and Mehta dressed in matching dark ensembles and identical dupattas, while Nandita sported a cheerful yellow sari, hugging both women. Azmi’s note highlighted the coincidence of the dupattas and expressed gratitude for Nandita’s colourful choice. The memories underline the lasting impact of Fire, the first entry in Mehta’s Elements trilogy, which sparked nationwide debate over its portrayal of lesbian love and artistic freedom.