Naseeruddin Shah, alongside Director Imtiaz Ali and the cast, offered insights into the upcoming film Main Vaapas Aaunga at its trailer launch, praising the script and sharing their unique experiences.
Key Points
- Naseeruddin Shah praised Imtiaz Ali’s script and direction for Main Vaapas Aaunga, highlighting the importance of good writing for an actor’s success.
- Imtiaz Ali shared his experience working with Naseeruddin Shah, noting the veteran actor’s warmth despite his formidable reputation.
- Vedang Raina, playing the younger Naseeruddin Shah, expressed the pressure and privilege of the role, recalling his admiration for the senior actor.
- Sharvari discussed her character’s simplicity and honesty, and how working with Imtiaz Ali has helped her evolve as a person.
At the trailer launch of his latest film Main Vaapas Aaunga, Naseeruddin Shah stayed at the venue for exactly four minutes before making a quick exit.
The event had started an hour-and-a-half late, and that probably didn’t go down well with the veteran actor. Citing prior commitments, he addressed the media as soon as the event started — showering high praise on the film’s director Imtiaz Ali — and then left.
‘When I went to meet Naseeruddin Shah, his biggest concern was…’
“The success of an actor depends on the writer and the director. If the writing is not right, then even the best actor in the world cannot do anything and I am a living example of that. I have done a lot of bad things in many films. When my son wakes me up at 3 am and tells me, ‘Dad, you are in a film,’ I ignore it because I would rather sleep,” Naseeruddin joked, drawing laughs from the audience.
“Imtiaz has written a very good script. The dialogues are beautiful and the situations are extremely powerful. I saw his last film (Amar Singh Chamkila) and liked it a lot. He works with actors with immense love and care. Very few directors allow an actor’s performance to take the lead, and Imtiaz is one of them.”
When Imtiaz was asked what it was like working with Naseeruddin Shah, he smiled and said, “Where should I start?”
Naseeruddin quipped, “From the beginning.”
Imtiaz recalled, “Before meeting him, I was told that he was a very serious actor. But when I went to meet him, his biggest concern was why I wasn’t drinking tea, was the tea not good enough That’s when I realised there was no need to be intimidated. He’s such a warm person. I was fascinated to see him in a turban, playing a Sikh gentleman, something I had never seen before. Honestly, everyone who has watched the film has loved him the most.”
A Unique Opportunity For Vedang Raina
Diljit Dosanjh skipped the trailer launch as he is currently performing in Texas. But he did send a video message in Punjabi for his fans.
Vedang Raina, who plays the younger version of Naseeruddin’s character in the film, spoke about the pressure and privilege of stepping into the veteran actor’s shoes.
“It was a huge responsibility and also a unique opportunity. I have always been a massive fan of Naseer sir. Back in 2018-2019, while giving auditions, I used to watch his masterclass videos and take notes,” Vedang shared.
Vedang Is The Youngest Male Star That Imtiaz Has Directed
“When I met Naseer sir for the first time at his house, my hands were literally shaking. It was just a meeting, but I still carried a pen and notebook because I thought, if a genius is in front of me, I need to note things down,” Vedang said.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to shoot with him or Diljit sir, but I would visit the set just to observe him. That itself felt like the biggest privilege.”
The event itself opened on a musical note, with Vedang performing Maskara, a song that he has also sung in the film.
Watch Vedang-Sharvari Sing And Dance To Masakara
Speaking about working with A R Rahman, Vedang said, “This is actually the first time we are meeting in person. Before this, we had only spoken over FaceTime.”
Rahman complimented Vedang, saying “You have a beautiful voice.”
“That is probably one of the biggest compliments I have ever received,” Vedang gushed.
Rahman then joked, “Can you sing for other actors too?”
“I don’t mind, as long as you’re composing it,” Vedang replied.
Insights from Sharvari and Sanjay Suri
Speaking about her role, Sharvari said, “The simplicity and honesty that Jiya has is something that runs through the film. When I first met Imtiaz sir, we spoke for nearly two hours and he barely said anything. I walked away thinking, ‘I’ve definitely bored him and lost this opportunity.’
“But maybe that worked in my favour because my character is also talkative like me.”
Sanjay Suri plays Naseeruddin Shah’s father in the film, and he joked, “Only lucky people get to play Naseer sir’s father in fiction. In reality, he is everyone’s father.”
During the interaction, Imtiaz was asked about the recurring sadness in his films, themes of separation, longing and death. Laughing, he responded, “After hearing your question, I feel like I should see a therapist. But honestly, I don’t do it intentionally. It just happens. A lot of what we create is not guided by intellect alone. Sometimes it feels like a story is arriving on its own and I am merely the hand writing it.”
Alia Bhatt’s Generosity
The conversation shifted to Alia Bhatt, who promoted the songs of Main Vaapas Aaunga on Instagram despite being busy at Cannes. Alia has previously collaborated with Imtiaz on Highway and with Vedang in Jigra. She will be seen alongside Sharvari in Alpha in July.
“I think she did it purely out of love and affection for all of us, especially Imtiaz sir. She’s not calculated as a person,” Sharvari said. “I’m sure she was incredibly busy at Cannes, but still made time to support us. We’re lucky to have a cheerleader like her in our lives.”
“This isn’t the first time she has done something like this,” Vedang added. “People are seeing this publicly, but during the entire shoot of Jigra she was exactly the same. From day one, she made sure I was comfortable and calm. Imagine the nerves of a young actor sharing scenes with Alia Bhatt! She constantly looked out for me. Whenever Sharvari and I talk about her, we have similar experiences.”
Sharvari summed it up: “Basically, we are all Alia pagloos.”
Watch: Sharvari-Vedang Speak About Love
Asked how she prepares for films, Sharvari said, “I put in the same amount of hard work that I would for any film, but with Imtiaz sir, I completely leaned on him to guide me through the process. He understands his characters and human nature so deeply that even sitting across from him at lunch or dinner becomes a learning experience.
“I have always been like a sponge around him, constantly wanting to know more — not just about cinema, but about life. I genuinely feel I have evolved as a person after meeting and working with him. Before I make him sound too preachy, I should add that he’s also incredibly funny. We’ve had such a wonderful time making this film.”
Apart from Sharvari, Vedang Raina, Naseeruddin Shah, Sanjay Suri and Diljit Dosanjh, Main Vaapas Aaunga features Manish Chaudhari, Sayani Gupta, Rajat Kapoor, Babita Kapoor, Anjana Sukhani, Janhavi Bansal, Leena Sharma, Vinod Nagpal.
Main Vaapas Aaunga releases in theatres on June 12.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
