Filmfare’s Editor-in-Chief, Jitesh Pillaai, celebrates Tabu’s birthday with a heartfelt tribute, revisiting the personal moments, conversations and cinematic milestones that made their journey special.
From watching her evolve as an actor in Hu Tu Tu, Astitva and Chandni Bar to reflecting on the depth and dignity she brought to her characters, he celebrates an artist who has always chosen authenticity over pretence.
Read his birthday note below:
Some moments are gifts. Like some people are. I’m talking about a time before the entire PR and managers syndrome took over. When what you saw and sought was what you got. There were no filters.
It was at a tender, vulnerable phase of life that I met Tabu.
She was going through a similar spiritual detachment. I saw her dipping her Marie biscuit in her chai. A connection was made.
Those were fun times. From being dragged to watch her shoot inane films to witnessing some really powerful work, I watched Tabu metamorphose into a fine actor. She cried for real; she acted for real. There was authenticity, no falsehood. And there was method.
I remember the most complex scenes for Chandni Bar (2001) being done with a lot of bonhomie and banter. When you saw the brutality and rawness in screen came out of the astute work she had done on the script, at home, far from the madding crowd.
Good times were shared. The companionable sharing of anecdotes, lives, and precious moments. We had our highs and lows. Maturity instils in you the grace to remember all the good times. And there were so many.
Watching her at some charity event, sneaking off to Hyderabad to spend time in her bungalow, watching some inane KC Bokadia film being made in Chennai.
Tabu, thank you for the memories. I’d like to think that the happiest phases of my life as a film journalist coincided with you in full bloom as an actor- Hu Tu Tu (1999), Astitva (2000), Chandni Bar (2001), Kandukondain (2000), The Namesake. (2007).
And speaking of Astitva, it had a TV serial feel to it at first glance, but then you got drawn in by the drama. And all credit to Tabu for making it such an absorbing piece of drama. A letter comes to a regular household, causing conflict in the life of the central protagonist, Aditi. Her son and husband accuse her of vile things because she admits to having had a brief affair with her singing teacher.
In my mind, it’s Tabu’s Best performance. She interiorises the pain of Aditi. Barely 27, she had the body language of a middle-aged woman, pat. She gave it a few moments and universalised the pain. Hers was also an important role because, besides just giving the role a huge amount of dignity, she was empowering the woman on screen and off it. She gave the minority voice a face. It was okay for a woman to have feelings, desires and more importantly act on it.
And the most important question she asked in the movie? Why should she camouflage her husband’s indiscretions or his lack of virility? Why should she be apologetic because she had sexual yearnings for a man. Why do we equate faithfulness and love on the same scale?
Thank you for no filters. Thank you for showing me your vulnerabilities, your demons and your triumphs, no holds barred. I think we healed together. Happy birthday, Tabu Khala. We made it together. We did good.
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