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The real Badshah
GEETIKA SUDIP
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Naseeruddin Shah’s take on his films, theatre, direction and actors.
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Photo: S. Mahinsha
Thespian: Naseeruddin Shah has consistently redefined the paradigms of acting.
True-blue film aficionados have no doubts about who the real Badshah of Indian cinema is. Since his debut in Shyam Benegal’s ‘Nishaant’ (1975), Naseeruddin Shah has consistently redefined the paradigms of acting. To the extent that even his feather-capped ‘Oye Oye’ number elicited reverence, not ridicule. Friday Review caught up with him when he was in Thiruvananthapuram as jury member of the International Film Festival of Kerala. Excerpts: It’s been almost 14 years since T.V. Chandran’s ‘Ponthan Mada.’ How does it feel to renew your bond with Kerala?
It’s wonderful to be back here. Kerala is not unfamiliar: my brother Zaheer Shah used to live in Koratti years ago and we would visit him often. I’ve travelled across Kerala quite extensively. It’s good to be back.
Shoaib Mansoor’s ‘Khuda ke Liye’ was screened to great appreciation at the IFFK. How does it feel to be associated with such a film?
Initially I was rather hesitant about being a part of the film simply because Pakistan’s cinema is not all that great. But Shoaib was insistent: he finally sent me a scene – a single scene – which he wanted me to do. This was about a Maulana who is called in to testify against a girl unjustly accused of ‘unIslamic’ behaviour. The Maulana gets to say a lot of things that need to be said: he voices the thoughts of moderate Muslims. I read that scene and told him I was doing the film. It’s a good film, one that needs to be watched and supported whole-heartedly.
You’ve received rave reviews for the most part of your career. But your directorial debut ‘Yun Hota To Kya Hota’ (2006) met with a lukewarm response.
Well the criticism hurt but on the whole I feel it was a fair evaluation of the film. It was my first film as director and I’m still learning that craft. In theatre I’ve been successful in stringing together various stories with a central theme but I couldn’t pull it off on screen. I don’t know if I will direct again: perhaps if I’m also producing the film.
Your theatre group, Motley, has stepped away from the trend of staging English language plays. Was that a deliberate choice?
Yes it was. Theatre must speak the language of the people it depicts. Very few people in India speak exclusively in English; most speak a mixture of languages. That’s what we began to use in our productions. Our plays in Urdu – ‘Ismat Manto Hazir Hai’ and ‘Ismat Aapa ke Naam’ – have also been well-received.
Parallel cinema, especially in Hindi, is defunct today. Has multiplex cinema managed to fill the void?
Thanks to the multiplexes, all films get an opportunity to be released at least. It also gives a certain freedom to the filmmaker. I wish these multiplexes were around in the 70s and 80s: almost 25 films I’ve acted in during that period have never been released due to distribution problems. This is not to say all 25 of them are great films: but they at least deserve a chance.
You’ve had some gifted co-actors like Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil at the height of the parallel cinema movement. Does the absence of committed actors ever affect your performances?
I’ve had great on-screen chemistry with Shabana and Smita, though we were not friends otherwise. A good co-actor does help your performance but to say that you lacked cooperation from other actors is no excuse for a bad performance. All that’s ultimately needed is commitment to the script.
You’re the head of a family of actors. Are they your biggest fans?
My younger son will also be entering the arena shortly, so that makes it four actors in the family. My children are not my biggest fans, but they do have a certain regard for my performances because I’m their father! I’d rather they identify the kind of films they enjoy watching – like I did when I was young – rather than just watch my films. Still, I’d like them to watch my films such as ‘Masoom’ and comedies such as ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron,’ ‘Bhavni Bhavai…’
Who are the Indian actors whose work you appreciate?
In Hindi, I enjoy watching Irrfan Khan. I greatly admire Mohanalal too. To do the variety of roles that he has done, coupled with the kind of popularity he enjoys, is remarkable.
It’s believed that actors are narcissistic. Yet, after portraying nearly 150 characters with all manner of idiosyncrasies, have you become more empathetic?
I believe I have become more complicated (laughs). It’s not really about portraying different characters, and trying to make each performance distinct. An actor’s job is to be as honest to the script as possible. That’s the real challenge and that’s what I strive to do.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
