'Main Vaapas Aaunga': Imtiaz talks about working with Naseeruddin Shah
What's the story
Director Imtiaz Ali has praised veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, who stars in his latest film, Main Vaapas Aaunga. Speaking to NDTV, Ali called Shah "the best actor in the country," adding that his performance was a testament to his faith and interest in the role. The film also stars Diljit Dosanjh and Sharvari and was released on Friday.
Praise
Ali on Shah's stature as an actor
Ali said, "Naseeruddin Shah never needed to wait for me to prove that he is one of the best artistes of this country. In fact, he is the best actor in the country. Unka ohda pehle se he hai, sab unko jaante hain." "That he accepted the role itself is a big deal for me. He accepted the role because he liked Amar Singh Chamkila and Diljit's work in the film."
Performance
More on Shah's performance and Ali's direction
Ali further lauded Shah's dedication to acting, saying, "His desire and passion to act even at this age despite acting for so many years hasn't reduced even a bit." "He has kept that passion alive, and that is why he is Naseeruddin Shah. He has played so many roles, but we had never seen him in the character of a Sikh." The film marks Ali's return to theaters after 2020's Love Aaj Kal.
Unique terminology
Why Martians are used as a term in the film
In the film, Shah plays a 95-year-old Sikh man named Ishar Grewal, who is tormented by the memories of Partition and longs to meet his first love on the other side of the border. The term "Martians" is used in the film to refer to hatemongers throughout history. When asked about this choice, Ali said, "Because these people aren't human beings. They don't have humanity; calling them animals is disrespecting animals."
Political exploration
Ali on the politics of the movie
Ali also spoke about the political themes in Main Vaapas Aaunga, saying, "The politics of this film isn't about an ideology or a political party. The breaking up of a nation was not a great incident." "It is shown in the film as that. That's the only politics in the film. The politics is only that there are people like the Martians... We should be wary about converting into Martians."