Naseeruddin Shah, one of the most versatile and influential actors of Indian cinema, turned 76 on Monday. ‘Masoom’, ‘Sparsh’, ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ and ‘A Wednesday!’ Naseeruddin Shah, who has mesmerized the audience with his acting in films like, looks calm and confident on screen, but his journey in real life has been equally full of dilemmas. On this special occasion of his birthday, let’s take a look at his famous autobiography ‘And Then One Day: A Memoir’, which is not the story of a shining star but a candid document of the fears and struggles of a common man.
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This autobiography, first published in 2014, is less about success and more about what came before. Shah writes honestly about those fears, uncertainties, and moments when he doubted whether he was even cut out for the profession. Because of this honesty, this book remains special even today.
The fear of going on stage never completely went away
Shah has admitted a very surprising thing that he never completely recovered from stage fright. Even after studying at the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India, he says the nervousness stayed with him. Despite having experience, it suddenly did not become easy to go on stage or face the camera.
Instead, he learned to accept nervousness as part of his job. Instead of waiting until she felt confident, she focused on her performance. Reading those pages it becomes clear that confidence, at least for Shah, was something he slowly built with each performance.
Also read: Ranbir Kapoor told Arun Govil as his inspiration, cherished the face of Ramayana’s ‘Ram’ since childhood.
Acting was never part of any big plan
Many actors talk about dreaming of entering cinema since childhood. Shah’s story was different.
In his book he explains that acting was not something he had planned consciously. He was still trying to understand what he wanted from life, when theater came into his life. What initially was just curiosity gradually turned into a passion and with time that passion became his career.
Looking back, he doesn’t see himself as a person chasing fame. He writes like a young man who was looking for something that meant something, and finally found it on stage.
There was a time when it felt easier to leave work
The beginning of Shah’s career was full of uncertainties. Good roles did not come easily, money was often tight and there were many days when he wondered whether acting would ever become a stable profession. He admits that there were moments when he thought of leaving everything behind. Like many newcomers, he too had no guarantee that his hard work would ever pay off.
He got the courage to move forward not from the promise of stardom, but from his love for acting. This decision later gave a special direction to his career – a career in which importance was given to strong characters rather than commercial formulas.
He never tried to fit into the ready-made image of a ‘hero’
Shah talks with equal honesty about his looks. He says that he never saw himself as a person with the image of a typical Hindi film hero. Instead of trying to change himself or get a conventional lead role, he accepted that his true strength lay in something else. He chose characters that had depth, chose stories that challenged him and did films that allowed him to grow as an actor.
It was later revealed that that decision proved to be one of the most important turning points in his career. The audience may not remember him for the glamorous songs or the ‘larger-than-life’ hero, but they certainly remember the characters he brought to life.
More than a decade after its release, And Then One Day remains one of the most candid autobiographies written by an Indian actor. This is not a book that tries to create an image of a spotless star. Instead, it introduces readers to a man who doubted himself, who stumbled at times, but still found a way to move forward. Perhaps this is the reason why even at the age of 76, Naseeruddin Shah is liked not only for his acting but also for always talking honestly about his life.