Three years after his debut venture ? Fiza, popular film critic Khalid Mohammed is back with his latest offering ? Tehzeeb.
Urmila Matondkar plays the title role of Tehzeeb, who since childhood has nursed a grudge against her mother Ruksana (Shabana Azmi). Rukhsana is a well-known playback singer, who has always been gossiped about in magazines and newspapers. Tehzeeb suspects her to be the cause of the sudden death of her father (Rishi Kapoor in a special appearance). Ruksana was even tried in court for murder but was declared not guilty.
Much against her mother's wishes, Tehzeeb marries a novel writer (Arjun Rampal) and settles down with him at a hill station far away from Mumbai. Tehzeeb's mentally challenged younger sister Nazneen (Diya Mirza) also lives with them. Ever since her marriage, they have not seen her mother for five years. Ruksana continues to be a popular singer keeping in touch with the changing trends in music. But feeling lonely she decides to visit her daughter and son-in-law for a few days. Everything goes fine initially, but the tension between them resurfaces eventually. Meanwhile the husband is caught in a volatile relationship with the publisher of his novel, a sensuous woman who's deeply attracted towards him.
A lecherous film producer, a rival playback singer to Rukhsana and a prying yellow journalist, who wants to revive the murder case, form the supporting characters of the film. Satish Kaushik, Rekha Rao and Namrata Shirodkar appear in pivotal roles. Former Miss World, Diana Hayden also makes her feature film debut in a cameo. Throughout the emphasis is to make this emotional thriller, sensible and entertaining.
The cinematography is by Santosh Sivan (who also handled the camera in Mohammed's Fiza). Sarmishtha Roy designs the sets and the editing is by A. Sreekar Prasad (Dil Chahta Hai). The film boasts of six melodious tracks by A.R.Rehman including 2 ghazals penned by Urdu classical poets - Momin and Daagh Dehlvi who were Ghalib's contemporaries. The modern poetry comes through Javed Akthar for the remaining tracks.
Tehzeeb continues the director's penchant for writing women oriented scripts (Mammo, Fiza, Zubeidaa), though this one is not autobiographical. The film has its share of light hearted, intense and dramatic moments.
Tehzeeb is produced by Seven Studio Pictures in association with The Culture Company. Twentieth Century Fox has acquired the rights of the film.
The film is being readied for a nationwide release in November.