Happy Birthday, Naseeruddin Shah: Don’t miss these 6 absolute classics by the actor

Naseeruddin Shah – arguably one of the finest actors of our time – turns 72 on July 20. He has ruled the stage as a theatre performer for decades. As a film actor he bagged prestigious awards, including Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for Goutam Ghose’s Paar. He has also explored the new-age medium of OTT with a stellar performance Bandish Bandits. Old timers also remember him for his acting in Doordarshan classics, like Bharat Ek Khoj, Mirza Ghalib and so on. 

After directing several plays, especially those penned by Sadat Hassan Manto and Ismat Chugtai, in 2006, he debuted as a film director with Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota. The Indian Government awarded him Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Indian cinema.

Over almost five decades, Naseeruddin acted in a large number of films. From Shyam Benegal to Govind Nihalani and Mrinal Sen – he worked with a number of the finest directors in India. Here, in OTTplay, we select seven of his absolute classics that most definitely should be on your watchlist. It goes without saying that it is not a comprehensive list of the great actor’s career and exploring more into his film will only enrich us as cine lovers.  

Manthan, 1976.

Director: Shyam Benegal

Set in the backdrop of India’s White Revolution led by Verghese Kurien, it is probably India’s first crowdfunded film that collected Rs 2 each from five lakh milk-producing farmers in Gujarat. Naseeruddin Shah plays the feisty Dalit leader Bhola who harbours deep resentment against the higher caste panchayat chief. The film deals with caste and class politics in rural India and the film bagged several National Awards that year.

You can watch Manthan on Zee5

Sparsh, 1980.

Director: Sai Paranjpye

Naseeruddin plays the character of a visually impaired principal of a school dedicated to the blind. The film also features Shabana Azmi as she joins the school to help the children. The duo develops a relationship. The film delicately touches upon the interpersonal dynamic of a blind man and a woman who has recentlyu lost her husband. The actor bagged the National Award in the Best Actor category that year. 

You can watch the film on YouTube.

Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyoon Aata Hai, 1980

Director: Saeed Akhtar Mirza

Naseeruddin plays a delusional Albert Pinto, a car mechanic, who believes working hard can make him successful and rich. He doesn’t go for trade union strikes. He is rather irritated by the rebellious workers. His illusion breaks when his father – a mill worker – is mistreated, not by his fellow workers but by the owners. 

The film is available on YouTube

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, 1983.

Director: Kundan Shah

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro is a satirical black comedy that also features Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Satish Shah, Pankaj Kapur and others, along with Naseeruddin. In the film, Naseeruddin and Ravi – two professional photographers – open a studio. They hope that the studio will run well and they will make money. However, that does not happen and the duo gets into a hilarious mess with an unforseen dilemma.    

You can watch it for free on YouTube.

Paar, 1984.

Director: Goutam Ghose

Naseeruddin bagged the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for Paar next year. Based on Samaresh Basu’s Bengali novel Paari, the film shows the exploitation by a village landlord, played by Utpal Dutt, in rural Bihar. The goons of the landlord kill a kind and progressive school teacher, played by Anil Chatterjee. Local labourer Naurangia, Naseeruddin, retaliates and kills the landlord’s brother. Naurangia and his wife (Shabana Azmi) run away from the village. 

You can watch it on YouTube.

Ijaazat, 1987

Director: Gulzaar

The poetic Ijaazat features Rekha and Anuradha Patel, along with Naseeruddin. The musical love story is based on Subodh Ghosh’s Jatugriha. Mahendra, played by Naseeruddin, meets Sudha (Rekha), his ex-wife, at a railway station waiting room. The film takes to and fro to their past and his relationship with Maya (Anuradha). 

Ijaazat is available on MXPlayer