India, April 19 -- Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil were considered rivals during their early years in the industry. The two contemporaries were known for their intense performances in parallel cinema. In Arth, Mahesh Bhatt cast the two actors together.

Shabana played the lead part of a dutiful wife named Pooja who discovers her husband's extra-marital relationship with another woman named Kavita, who was essayed by Smita. In an interview with Filmfare, Shabana revealed that it was Smita who demanded to play the role of the 'other woman' in the film. (Also read: Shabana Azmi admits to 'stamping over' Honey Irani's rights by marrying Javed Akhtar: 'All the mud that was flung at me')

Talking about the change in casting of the film, Shabana re...