Naseeruddin Shah: ‘Theatre acting has a feel film does not’
‘Everyone must help clear misconceptions surrounding India and Pakistan’.
The kind of enthusiasm and team spirit experienced in theatre is absent in films, says Naseeruddin Shah. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
“I have always enjoyed the love and hospitality of the people of Lahore,” Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah said on Wednesday.
He was speaking to students at the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) on Wednesday. LCWU Vice Chancellor Sabiha Mansoor and head of the Benazir Bhutto Chair, Muneeza Hashmi, welcomed the actor to the Lahore College for Women University. Students from Kinnaird College and Beaconhouse National University were also present on the occasion.
Shah said there were many similarities in the culture and language of the peoples of Pakistan and India. He said every individual could play an important role in eliminating the fog of misconceptions between the two countries and work for better ties.
“I wish I could visit the entire country, but time constraints do not allow that,” Shah said. He said he wanted to visit young theatre actors across the country.
Shah said acting was a medium of comprehensive expression. Theatre, he said, was a tougher medium for actors than cinema because it did not allow retakes.
Asked whether he found theatre acting harder compared to other media, Shah said, “If I had been asked about acting in films, I would have listed a host of problems.” As far as theatre was concerned, Shah said, he had never found it difficult...rather pleasing.
He said that acting in theatre brought one a type of joy not to be found in films. The kind of enthusiasm and team spirit experienced in theatre was absent in films, he said.
The veteran actor recited Ghalib’s poetry on the students’ request.
Muneeza Hashmi said, “I hope Shah Sahib will visit Lahore next year too for stage performances and dedicate a night to the recitation of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz’s poetry.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.
“I have always enjoyed the love and hospitality of the people of Lahore,” Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah said on Wednesday.
He was speaking to students at the Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) on Wednesday. LCWU Vice Chancellor Sabiha Mansoor and head of the Benazir Bhutto Chair, Muneeza Hashmi, welcomed the actor to the Lahore College for Women University. Students from Kinnaird College and Beaconhouse National University were also present on the occasion.
Shah said there were many similarities in the culture and language of the peoples of Pakistan and India. He said every individual could play an important role in eliminating the fog of misconceptions between the two countries and work for better ties.
“I wish I could visit the entire country, but time constraints do not allow that,” Shah said. He said he wanted to visit young theatre actors across the country.
Shah said acting was a medium of comprehensive expression. Theatre, he said, was a tougher medium for actors than cinema because it did not allow retakes.
Asked whether he found theatre acting harder compared to other media, Shah said, “If I had been asked about acting in films, I would have listed a host of problems.” As far as theatre was concerned, Shah said, he had never found it difficult...rather pleasing.
He said that acting in theatre brought one a type of joy not to be found in films. The kind of enthusiasm and team spirit experienced in theatre was absent in films, he said.
The veteran actor recited Ghalib’s poetry on the students’ request.
Muneeza Hashmi said, “I hope Shah Sahib will visit Lahore next year too for stage performances and dedicate a night to the recitation of Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz’s poetry.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.