Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah believes cinema serves as a record of times and he would not want the audience to look back at 2018 as the phase of only one kind of cinema, case in point “Salman Khan films”. The veteran actor says cinema is for posterity and hence he takes it as his responsibility to do as many socially relevant films as possible.
“I feel that cinema can’t change society or bring a revolution. I’m also not sure of cinema as a medium of education. Documentaries can be educative, not feature films. People see them and forget. The only serious function films can serve is to act as a record of their times,” Shah said.
The actor says it’s for this reason that he chose to work in movies like A Wednesday or his recent short film, Rogan Josh, set in the aftermath of 26/11 attacks.
“I consider it my responsibility to take part in such films.”
He added, “People should know what the India of 2018 was like. They shouldn’t end up seeing only Salman Khan films 200 years later. India is not like that. Cinema is for posterity.”
Shah, 68, says he is always keen to work with young people who are struggling against odds to make what they believe in.
“If there’s a young man trying to make a song and dance film, I wouldn’t give him a second. But if it was someone trying to make a film on a subject he believes in, he would definitely support them.
“I am totally for first timers. I always hear them seriously. I have done so many films with first timers and I’ve never regretted it,” he says.
