- Monday, February 24, 2025
The veteran actor lamented that in India truthful and socially reflective films often face bans or fail to appeal to mass audiences
By: India Weekly
AT THE ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) in Kozhikode, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah expressed his reservations about Bollywood’s portrayal of modern-day India, warning that future generations may face a distorted understanding of the country.
Shah, who is known for his acclaimed roles in films such as “Nishant,” “Aakrosh,” and “Masoom,” emphasised the historical value of serious cinema, claiming that its primary role is to serve as a record of the era it was created in.
“The really important function of cinema, to my mind, is to act as a record of its times,” Shah said during a discussion with actress Parvathy Thiruvothu. “Those are the most valuable films.”
He added that while cinema may provoke thought and raise questions, it does not fundamentally change people’s views.
Shah also raised concerns about the future of Indian cinema, saying it would be a “big tragedy” if Bollywood films from 2025 are used as a lens to understand contemporary India.
“Because these films will be seen 100 years later, and if 100 years later people want to know what India of 2025 was like, and they find a Bollywood film, that would be a big tragedy I think,” he stated.
Discussing the commercial pressures on filmmakers, Shah highlighted the struggle to make truthful, socially reflective films that often face bans or fail to appeal to mass audiences.
He explained that honest films can be sidelined due to their lack of commercial elements, making them harder to distribute.
For Shah, the financial success of a film is not the ultimate goal. “What’s important is that it gets across to the few people who watch it. If my work affects even one person in the world, that’s still good enough for me,” he said.
Toxic masculinity
The actor also condemned films that perpetuate harmful portrayals of masculinity, saying such movies glorify a dangerous mindset that undermines women.
“I think these films feed into the secret fantasies of men who in their hearts of hearts look down on women. It is actually very scary to see how much approval such films get from the common viewer. It is very terrifying and does explain the horrendous things that happen to women in our society,” he explained.
Shah’s regrets
Shah admitted that while he has never been nervous about acting, he does regret taking roles for money.
“There were movies I did only for money. That’s the simple truth. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with working for money. What do we all do, after all? But yes, I do regret some of those choices. Fortunately, people tend to forget the bad work, and they remember the good things you did,” he remarked.
The eighth edition of the KLF, which began on Thursday, is expected to draw over six lakh visitors and features approximately 500 speakers from 15 countries.
Among the participants are Nobel laureates Venki Ramakrishnan and Esther Duflo, Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch, and prominent figures such as filmmakers Mani Ratnam and authors Shashi Tharoor and Perumal Murugan.
The festival will conclude on January 26.
