This story is from October 20, 2007

I have been lazy of late:Naseeruddin

Barkha Mathur / TNN / Oct 20, 2007, 00:00 IST

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With some of his international films really making waves, Naseeruddin Shah speaks to NT about the kind of cinema he would like to do

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Naseeruddin Shah. (TOI Photo)With some of his international films really making waves, Naseeruddin Shah speaks to NT about the kind of cinema he would like to do
In an industry, which thrives on stereotypes it is impossible to categorise Naseeruddin Shah. His repertoire comprises the serious in Paar, comic in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, frothy in Jalwa and even the quintessential Bollywood in Tridev or Karma.
Shah has been there and done it all, while sticking to his convictions and giving his own take to the character being essayed by him on screen. His performance of the blind lover in Sparsh fetched him a National Award, twice again he won the honour for his roles in Paar and Iqbal, respectively.
Popular awards also came his way, as he has received Filmfare awards for films like Chakra and Masoom. Today many Bollywood stars flaunt their overseas offers, yet Shah remains the pioneer of crossover cinema and has a rich body of work to talk about, which includes films like The Perfect Murder, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Monsoon Wedding.

Looking beyond the ordinary, Naseer has just completed a Pakistani film Khuda Kay Liye and another film, tilted Shoot On Sight will be released soon. He talks to NT on why he wants to do only those films, which can stand the test of time.
'I don't subscribe to fundamentalism': "The main reason for my doing Khuda Kay Liye is that it tackles the issues of Islamic fundamentalism. That the film has been made by a Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor, makes it unusually brave. The film is very close to my heart. The culture of fatwas is something to which I don't subscribe, as it presents a very negative image of the Muslims."

'Muslims are not terrorists': "The increasing identification of Muslims with terrorism is extremely painful for moderates like me. Jag Mundhra's film Shoot On Sight addresses this particular issue. I play a cop who is a devout Muslim working for the Scotland Yard, and is probing the London bombing. He has a Christian wife and children who actually have no definite religion. I totally identified with the emotions and the dilemma of the cop played by me in this film."
'Of late I have been lazy': "I have not been doing much work simply because I was feeling lazy. Work for me is a matter of pleasure, it is an obsession, and what flows on screen is an outcome of these two factors. I choose well and mostly do cinema, which can stand the test of time."
'Bollywood does not interest me': "I have no opinion on the kind of cinema that is being done in the industry at the moment. If Shah Rukh Khan feels that cinema is a medium for entertainment and giving out messages is the job of the postal department, then this is strictly his opinion. I personally feel that we as actors are actually giving out some message to the audience, as we are conveying a point of view. Some recent films that I have liked are Chak De! India and the Munnabhai films."
'Coming together with Shabana': "We have just finished Rice Plate, Rohit Roy's debut film as a director. Both of us would now like to do something, which is exceptionally good. There is a project with Rituparno Ghosh titled London Dreams in which Shabana and I would be working together again. But I don't think we have any scenes together in that film."
'Starring on the small screen': "I would like to be either a cricket commentator or a tennis commentator on television, so that I can watch a lot of cricket and also enjoy Sania Mirza playing the game."

About the Author

Barkha Mathur

Barkha Mathur is a special correspondent with Times of India, Nagpur edition, looking after the art and culture beat which includes heritage, theatre, music and many other facets of reporting, which can be termed as leisure writing. What is usually a hobby for most is her work as she writes about cultural events and artists. Not leaving it at just performances, she follows the beat to write about their struggles, achievements and the changing city trends.\n\nHer work takes her to the best of the events, but in personal life she would prefer reading, especially the classics in Hindi as well as English. Being able to follow her fitness regimen is her best stress-buster.\n

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