Speaking at the Loksatta event in Mumbai recently, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah said actors in India are afraid to raise a voice in political matters.
“Some actors express their opinions but those whose voices matter do not speak up,” he added.
He also said that an actor’s political philosophy can be recognised by the films he chooses.
“If you believe in something, you must make a film on it. People should observe whatever is happening around them. Sometimes, if an actor has to play the character of a slum-dweller he would observe the slum from his air-conditioned car rather than going and actually staying there.
If you haven’t closely seen how the people there live, haven’t understood their pain, then you haven’t learnt anything. Thus, there is nothing called a perfect actor. Their work never ends. Those who see the profession as their passion never tire of it,” Naseeruddin Shah said.