When Naseeruddin termed Rajesh Khanna ‘poor actor’ mitabh Sholay no great film
When Naseeruddin termed Rajesh Khanna ‘poor actor’ mitabh Sholay no great film
It’s a well-known fact that veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah always speaks his mind and comments on every actor and films even without realising how it can hurt the opposite person.He has been trolled many a times by netizens on social media. But it doesn’t have any impact on Naseer who cares a damn to what people say about him.
Recently he recalled having called Rajesh Khanna ‘poor actor’, and Amitabh Bachchan hasn’t done any great film, Sholay is no great film”
Never hesitates or thinks twice before commenting on an actor even if it means challenging the legends of Hindi cinema. In an era where actors often shy away from controversy, Shah’s unapologetic candor has often stood out. A throwback to his older interviews reminds us of the time he publicly dismissed both Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan — two of Bollywood’s most revered icons.
In a 2010 Naseer spoke about actors and the legacy they leave behind. His statement about Amitabh Bachchan was a sharp one. “He hasn’t made any great film,” Shah said, directly targeting the star’s filmography. When asked about Sholay, one of Bachchan’s most iconic films, Shah added, “Sholay is not a great film, it’s entertaining for sure but not great.”
This remark was particularly hard hitting considering Sholay’s near-mythic status in Indian cinema. Often hailed as a classic and a cultural phenomenon, Sholay is considered a benchmark for commercial Hindi filmmaking. Yet Shah had his own perspective — one grounded in critical reflection rather than popular opinion.
In another discussion at the India Film Project (IFP) Season 14, Shah spoke about the issue of originality in cinema. Recalling a conversation with writer Javed Akhtar, he said, he remembers Javed Akhtar had once said to him something can be called original when you can’t find its source.’ He was talking to him about Sholay, and he said, ‘You have copied every scene, you didn’t leave any of Charlie Chaplin’s films, besides Clint Eastwood is felt in every frame.’”
Naseer admitted that defining originality isn’t easy, noting, “It’s about how far you have taken it. Shakespeare, who is considered a great playwright, apparently was also copying stuff from old plays. But originality was there in the way they presented.”
n fact, 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 Khanna was a very limited actor. In fact, he was a poor actor.”
News Edit KV Raman
