The film begins with Riyaz Rajat Kapoor, Zubeida's son setting out to research her life, and to meet the people who knew her. The story is thus told in the form of memories/reminiscences. Zubeida is a Muslim actress, who's career aspirations are thwarted by her film-producer father Puri who looks down upon a woman in acting. He arranges her marriage to her friend's son, but that breaks up after the birth of her son. Zubeida is now back at her parent's home, sad and depressed. Rose Lilette Dubey her father's mistress tries to cheer-up Zubeida by taking her out. On one of these outings, Zubeida meets Prince Vijayendra Victor Singh of Fatehpur Bajpai. Quite taken with her, the Prince woos and marries her. Zubeida, now the 2nd wife of a Hindu prince, leaves her son behind with her mother Sikri and comes to live at Fatehpur. Here she meets the much older Mandira Devi Rekha the Prince's first wife, learns about the etiquette of being a Rani, and of the duties her husband has towards his first wife. Zubeida's relationship with Mandira whom she calls Mandy didi is tumultuous, seesawing between affection and jealousy. She frets about the restrictions on her as Rani and the choke-hold of royal duties on Victor, often venting out her frustrations at not having her husband to herself. When Victor decides to contest the elections, he relies on Mandira, as his Hindu consort as opposed to Zubeida, to accompany him on his political jaunts. Zubeida, angry at being spurned, in obstinacy takes a decision, which has fatal consequences.
Zubeidaa Preview
Just as froth brims over from Bollywood's mug of films, causing extreme fatigue to viewers' minds and eyes, some sense and sensibility in the form of Shyam Benegal's Zubeida is set to refresh us in the last week of December.
Third in a three-part series, the first being Mammo, and the second Sardari Begum, Zubeida has been woven with a commercial base with frequent artistic interventions.
A vibrant cast comprising Rekha, Karishma Kapoor and Manoj Bajpai with the support of fine performers like Amrish Puri, Surekha Sekri and Lillette Dubey, Zubeida has Shyam Benegal's deft handling, A R Rehman's subtle music score and an intense narrative by Khalid Mohamed.
Suleman Seth (Amrish Puri) a patriarch and authoritarian, has some fixed notions in life, which he will not change or bend for anything. For him, they are virtues and cannot be compromised at the cost of anything, not even his own children.
Suleman's mistress, Rose Davenport (Lillette Dubey), a dancer of Hindi films of 1940s and 50s is a cheerful soul. She is instrumental in introducing Suleman's daughter Zubeida (Karishma Kapoor) to Raja Virendra Singh (Manoj Bajpai).
The beautiful and lively Zubeida falls in love with the handsome polo playing Raja, and the prince reciprocates making promises of love to her.
The twist in the royal tale comes when Raja's first wife, Rani Mandira Devi (Rekha) comes into the picture. She shows strong comprehension of a situation where she is losing her husband to a younger woman and she doesn't exactly blame the woman. It is only the skilled and dexterous Rekha who could handle the complex role of the Rani. Shyam Benegal is a connoisseur of artistes and chooses Rekha who fits the role of a matured and dignified woman just right.
Zubeida's love and the eventual relationship she shares with Raja Vijendra is doomed right from the start. There is an unknown vein that runs in the film that tells you of the futility of Zubeida's passion. It reminds us that passions are to burn out. But in this tale, Zubeida burns out.
Long after Zubeida is gone, her now grown-up son Riyaz (Rajit Kapur), a young journalist, tries to discover the enigma that his mother was. A mother he never knew. Riyaz has been brought up by his maternal grandmother Fayyazi Begum (Surekha Sekri), wife of the difficult Suleman Seth whose one action changes the entire course of Zubeida's life forever.
Essentially, a story of fairy tale rhapsodies and pains of a young princess, her life, her love, her death and finally her figurative portrait through her son's eyes is Zubeida's principal plot. Khalid Mohamed's story is full of passion and intensely dramatic scenes that actors par excellence, under the guidance of Shyam Benegal, do full justice to. The film is worth waiting for.
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