/> It could the plot for a buddy-buddy comedy about two 60-plus divas who bond during the time of a crisis.

But as they as say, truth is often stranger than fiction. So it was last week on July 16 when Shabana Azmi's flight back from London to Mumbai was struck by lightening.

Recalling the harrowing experience at Heathrow airport Shabana said, "Luckily the passengers had not boarded when lightening struck our flight. But it triggered off an interminable delay which would have been unbearable were it not for the company I unexpectedly found. "

Luckily for Shabana, Jaya Bachchan was supposed to travel by the same flight.

"It was just providential. I don't know what I'd have done or how I'd have coped I I hadn't found Jaya among the stranded co-passengers, " shudders Shabana.

Shabana and Jaya spent the next 24 hours having the most fun time of their lives.

"I just love Jaya's company. She speaks her mind, calls a spade a spade. We spoke about things that we can never discuss in Mumbai. We got the chance to bond, something that we rarely do in Mumbai. "

Having said that Shabana is not too pleased with the way the London airport handled the crisis. "We were left unattended for hours. At 11. 30 pm the counters were closed and at 12 midnight one simply had to leave the airport. It closes down at midnight. Simple. "

Thankfully Shabana and Jaya gave each other company while an alternative flight was arranged.

"But it's not an airport crisis that I am likely to forget easily, " says Shabana.