Naseeruddin Shah: Always felt there were too many people on sets

Naseeruddin Shah has little patience for idleness, which is why the lockdown has been admittedly hard on him. What did he miss the most during the period? "The stage," he says, in a heartbeat. With the restrictions being lifted in phases, the veteran, 70, is glad to resume work on Nikkhil Advani's web series. "On August 25, I will head to Rajasthan, where we will film Kaun Banega Shekhawati for a month. It's a comedy revolving around an idiotic king and his four daughters," he grins.

Nikkhil Advani

Earlier this month, the Bombay High Court dismissed the state government's regulation that barred artistes and technicians over 65 years of age from shooting. With units stringently following safety guidelines, the actor is aware that shooting in the post-COVID world will be a novel experience. "It will be different, but I wonder if it will last. I have always thought there were too many people on sets, doing nothing. Now, shoots will become more streamlined and cost-effective."

A still from the film

Mee Raqsam, which dropped on ZEE5 yesterday, sees him play a Muslim fundamentalist leader who opposes a young girl's dream of becoming a Bharat-natyam dancer. Ask him how he imbibes a character whose ideals he does not believe in, and he explains, "For the duration of a scene, I made it my business to be convinced about what the character said. As much as I disagree with them personally, I said the lines with conviction. The audience must know how to separate the character from the actor." The drama, directed by Baba Azmi and presented by his sister Shabana, is an ode to their late father Kaifi Azmi. Mention the poet, and Shah says, "When I was doing Mirza Ghalib, Shabana said, 'You must talk to abba'. But I was too much in awe of Kaifi saab to strike a conversation."

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