Voice from the past

BENGALURU : While Saeeda Bano is known as the first Indian woman Urdu newsreader at All India Radio, her granddaughter Shahana Raza, who recently translated Bano’s autobiography, says she remembers her as a “cool kind of granny”. Excerpts from an interview with the Dubai-based filmmaker about her book, Off the Beaten Track (Penguin, `499):

How do you remember Saeeda Bano?
I thought Saeeda Bano (Bibi) was rather forthright. She could drive, had travelled the world, lived alone, even tied her sari in an unconventional manner – pallu draped over right shoulder. She wore ultra-soft net dupattas, mostly pastels or shades of purple and lavender, which were her favourite colours. She had a fascinating VHS collection of old black-and-white movies, and admired actor Greta Garbo. Eid at her place was always special. We met extended family members, her friends, and could bring our own. Of course, the tastiest of Lucknawi food was prepared – shaami kababs, mutton biryani, yakhni pulao…!

What kind of relationship did you share with your grandmother?
Grandchildren usually visit grandparents with their parents, or get to spend quality time with them if they live in the same city. I grew up in Lucknow, Bibi was always in Delhi, and given that my parents were divorced, I didn’t get to spend as much time with her as a kid, though we visited her briefly during school vacations. Despite this, when I shifted to Delhi to do my bachelor’s, we gradually managed to create a strong bond with each other.

Your grandmother was a path-breaker of sorts during her time. What do you think helped her in her journey?
For one, growing up in a city like Bhopal, the only Indian state ruled by women for four successive generations. In the book, Bibi describes in fascinating detail the lasting impact this simple fact had on her and the psyche of women in Bhopal. They were confident, self-reliant and could move out of their homes without depending on a man despite being in purdah. Nawab Sultan Jahan Begum had started schools for girls. Bibi and her sister were privileged to be educated, not only because they were born in Bhopal but also because, and this is equally important, their father was a forward-thinking man. 

Saeeda Bano had quite an eventful life both personally and professionally. Is there anything that you want to imbibe from her?
By the time I came to Delhi, she had retired. I didn’t get to see her in a professional role. But I do remember how charismatic she was socially. And, the flair, the utter ease with which she could recite the perfect Persian/Urdu couplet at the most opportune time… I wish I could do that!

Your grandmother joined AIR in 1945. Do you think she got her fair share of fame?
Definitely not. There is such little information out there about her. I have read articles about ‘pioneering 20th century women’ or ‘Muslim women feminists’ but there is no mention of her. In 2001, when she passed away, the I&B Ministry did release a few lines as her obituary.

Did knowing her personally lend an advantage while translating the book? 
Definitely yes. Knowing Bibi well and the cultural background she came from, I could quite vividly ‘see’ what her life in Lucknow must have been like. I was also raised in Lucknow, though of course many years later. And I was more than familiar with the kind of lifestyle she was leading in Delhi. While translating, many a times I could visualise her in a particular situation, I could imagine her body language, her facial expressions... What was difficult was finding the appropriate English words to convey the emotions she expressed so fluidly in Urdu.