I’m stuck in mediocrity, condemned to do films I hate: Naseeruddin Shah
The rapturous screening of Shyam Benegal's 1976 classic "Manthan" in the Cannes Classics section was met with a five-minute standing ovation, an overwhelming reception for the veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah who was attending the festival for the first time.
In an expansive interview with Indian Express, on the sun-dappled Palais terrace, Shah reflected on the experience, the making of "Manthan", and his prolific but creatively unsatisfying career in mainstream Bollywood films.
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"It was deeply moving," Shah said of the prolonged applause. "Firstly because I'm very proud of this film. I would have done any part that Shyam asked me to."
Shah revealed that after his breakout role in Benegal's 1975 film "Nishant", he struggled to find work while his co-stars became stars. It was Benegal who gave him the role of Bhola in "Manthan", assuring him "this is the part that will generate more work for you."
Looking back on the film's making, Shah reminisced about his dedicated method acting approach, following Benegal's instructions not to bathe to stay in character as a villager. He witnessed casteism on set that affected him deeply.
While "Manthan" depicted the pioneering milk cooperative movement, Shah admitted "I had no idea of anything" about its real-world significance at the time. "All I wanted to do then was to stun the world with my acting."
The 73-year-old was candid about his subsequent disillusionment with mainstream commercial films. "I'm stuck in this mediocrity, condemned to do films I hate which are forgettable as soon as they are made. The theatre has kept me sane."
He expressed regret at being let down by the "closed-mindedness" of some parallel cinema filmmakers, but maintained "it wasn't an about-face" from that work. "I continued doing movies of that kind throughout my career."
In an ironic twist, it is "Manthan" and other early critical successes that have stood the test of time and brought him to Cannes. "It is extremely ironic. And it's fortunate that people don't remember the bad work you've done," Shah said.
Despite being outspoken about rising bigotry in India, Shah says he has no regrets and no fear of losing work. "I've never gone overboard or hysterical, but I've always believed in calling a spade a spade."
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