Naseeruddin Shah Quotes

"Hindi cinema has only one religion, and that's money."

"I am from a place called Sardhana, which is near Meerut."

"I had many doubts while writing my autobiography. I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested to read about my life."

"During the shooting of 'Manthan,' I lived in the hut, learnt to make cow dung cakes and milk a buffalo. I would carry the buckets and serve the milk to the unit to get the physicality of the character."

"You can't make a film for your personal satisfaction. That is why I detest the cinema of people like Mani Kaul."

"Humans are the only ones who are the custodians of other people's morals."

"I don't look at my work as an avenue for generating more work. For me, my work itself is sufficient."

"I had decided never to dye my hair because by doing that, it doesn't make a man look young. In fact, I feel the wrinkles on a man's face become more prominent when you dye your hair."

"It was the '70s when mediocrity came in Hindi films. That's when the actor called Rajesh Khanna joined the industry. For all his success, I think Mr. Khanna was a very limited actor. In fact, he was a poor actor."

"I'm not trying to prove myself a great filmmaker. I don't know much about filmmaking anyway. I'm trying my hand at it to see if I'm any good."

"I have the highest regard for the police forces."

"My dream is to produce a generation of actors who realise what the function of an actor in a movie is supposed to be."

"'Macbeth,' I am ambivalent about. I don't like that play, in fact."

"Granted, patriotism is not a tonic that can be forced down people's throats."

"I've always found people with physical disabilities interesting to watch: how the dynamics of their body work, what makes them move this way or that."

"The magic of theatre is how much can you stimulate the mind of the audience, not how many illusions you can create."

"It's completely beyond comprehension that you just can't say anything without offending somebody or the other."

"People think I am joking when I say my favourite actors are Shammi Kapoor and Dara Singh."

"Undeniable though it is that many Indian Muslims misguidedly consider Pakistan their haven, the immeasurably greater number who take intense pride in being Indian and who connect deeply with the country are hurt and angered at our patriotism being under scrutiny."

"I can say with pride that I have a brother who served with distinction in the Indian Army."

"I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow, if a mob surrounds them and asks, 'Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?' they will have no answer."

"I am the king of old school romance."

"A person takes his own path. My father tried to guide me the best way he thought I should go, and it didn't work. I went the way I wanted to."

"I was lucky to land up in Mumbai when serious cinema was just beginning to flower."

"One would marvel on the screen the way Shammi Kapoor walked, Dilip Kumar cried, or seeing Dev Anand's style. And then, one day, you are in the same space with them. It's very unreal."

"When I see an emotion being enacted by a great actor, I always feel I can never do that."

"'Bombay Boys' is among my favourite movies and my favourite performance of myself."

"Finally, I have realised that it is important to look good."

"I have gone into every project with the same enthusiasm and the same hope, but some have worked out, and some haven't."

"My dad occupied a government position, deputy collector, in a city called Nainital, so we had access to the cinemas at any time. I saw my first movies when I was very young."