Naseeruddin Shah is often considered as the 'God of acting' in Indian cinema. The legendary filmmaker, Satyajit Ray called him the Ultimate Method Actor', and he was named as the 'Best Actor Ever' by so many cinema legends over the decades. Courtesy of the acting performances he has given in his illustrious career, Naseeruddin Shah is indeed one of the three greatest Indian actors ever, if not the greatest. In a career spanning more than four decades, Naseer saab has worked in more than 100 films.
Some of Naseeruddin Shah's timeless performances came in the films, A Wednesday, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Iqbal, Masoom, Parzania, Ishqiya, Sarfarosh, Mohra, The League of Extraordinary Gentleman, The Dirty Picture, Ijaazat, and the list goes on. Back in 1987, Naseer saab was bestowed with the Padma Shri Award by the Indian Government. It was in 2003 when he received India's third-highest civilian award, Padma Bhushan, for his incredible contribution to Indian cinema.
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Naseeruddin Shah made his acting debut in Hindi cinema with an uncredited role in the 1967 film, Aman. However, not many are aware of the fact that Naseer saab also worked in the television industry for some time. His debut television show was Bharat Ek Khoj, and he gained immense popularity after he played 'Ghalib' in the show, Mirza Ghalib. After making his mark in films and television shows, Naseeruddin Shah also conquered the OTT space with his work in web series like Bandish Bandits, Kaun Banegi Shikharwati, Modern Love: Mumbai, Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, Taj: Divided by Blood, and Showtime.
Despite being lauded as the 'Greatest actor' in Indian cinema, Naseeruddin Shah's popularity needs no introduction. However, there have been many moments when his thoughts brought him immense hate and trolling. Today, we are going to put some spotlight on Naseeruddin Shah's biggest controversial statements. So, without further ado, let's get started!
Naseeruddin Shah once shared his views on the mammoth success of S.S. Rajamouli's RRR and Sukumar's Pushpa. The legendary actor clearly stated that he couldn't watch movies like RRR and Pushpa due to their portrayal of hypermasculinity. However, the veteran actor praised Mani Ratnam and his film, Ponniyin Selvan and took a dig at RRR and Pushpa for being agenda-driven films. He said:
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"I couldn't watch RRR and Pushpa. But I did watch Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan because he is an eminent filmmaker with no agenda. I cannot imagine what people get from watching these films. I would never watch them. I don't know how many women liked RRR."
In a candid interview with Lallantop, Naseeruddin Shah talked about the Filmfare Awards and admitted that he couldn't understand their criteria for selecting winners. The iconic actor even added that he isn't proud of the Filmfare Award he won in his career. While explaining the reason behind his hatred towards Filmfare Awards, Naseer saab revealed that he has used these awards as washroom door handles at his farmhouse. He said:
"Any actor who has put their life and effort into portraying a role is a good actor. If you just pick one person from the lot and say that 'this is the best actor of the year', how's it fair? I am not proud of those awards. I did not even go collect the last two awards I received. So, when I built a farmhouse I decided to put these awards there. Whoever goes to the washroom will get two awards each as the handles are made of the Filmfare awards."
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In an old interview back in 2016, Naseeruddin Shah shared his views on Indian cinema's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna. The actor labelled Rajesh Khanna as a 'limited' and 'poor actor'. In the same interview, he also mocked Amitabh Bachchan for not doing impactful roles in his career and clearly stated that Sholay isn't a 'great film'. His remarks on Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Sholay sparked a massive controversy in the film industry, with most of the celebs opposing his views.
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In a piece for The Indian Express, Naseeruddin Shah shared his views on the legendary actor, Dilip Kumar and criticised him for not making enough contribution to Indian cinema. Naseer saab explained that Dilip Kumar's filmography was limited, but he left no lessons for the young actors. He further added how there's nothing in his autobiography that can help an aspiring actor become a good actor. Once again, Naseer saab received a lot of criticism for his take on Dilip Kumar, who is considered by many to be the 'Best actor in the history of Indian cinema'. Naseeruddin Shah said:
"He (Dilip Kumar) never passed on the benefit of his experience, didn't bother to groom anyone, and apart from his pre-1970s performances, left behind no significant lessons for future actors; even his autobiography is but a rehash of old interviews."
Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khaana, and Amitabh Bachchan aren't the only actors, who were criticised by Naseeruddin Shah for different reasons. Anupam Kher is one such actor, who received heavy criticism from Naseer saab, when the latter was sharing his views on anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protests. The veteran actor slammed Anupam Kher, who was actively sharing his views on CAA. Naseer saab termed Anupam Kher as a 'clown' and added that he has a sycophant nature. Naseeruddin Shah's controversial remark sent shockwaves in the film industry, and he was heavily criticised for the words he chose to condemn Anupam Kher.
What are your thoughts on Naseeruddin Shah's controversial statement? Let us know.
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