Will Naseeruddin Shah’s Next Book be an Expose of Bollywood?
“THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE FILM INDUSTRY,” SAID NASEERUDDIN SHAH
After his memoir And Then One Day, which has been very well-received by the critics and public alike, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah is now all set to do an encore – this time an unflinchingly honest expose of people in the film industry.
“I do think the most interesting phase of my life has been covered. The rest is smooth-sailing. Now what I can do is a treatise on my experiences in the film industry. I don’t think that’s a bad idea,” said Mr Shah.
“There are many things that I do want to say about the film industry. I might write it in the third-person. Then I’d have the right to be more candid without being diplomatic or hurting egos,” he added.
The 65-year-old said that he never expected the first part to be so well-received. “I thought they’d be extremely skeptical about an actor trying to write. I never thought the book would sell as much as it did in my country, or that the Indian critics would be anything but condescending towards it.”
Not that this actor-extraordinaire ever doubted his writing abilities. “I knew that those who cared to read through my account would like it. Constructing sentences properly and writing essays have been my strong points right from school days. Though I was a dullard in all other subjects, my English compositions and essays in class were always rated the best,” he said, adding, “My articles were selected for the school magazine. I did know I had certain ability with words. So I knew I wouldn’t get whipped by the critics.”
