After Dilip Kumar’s demise, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah wrote an op-ed for the actor. In it, he questioned why Kumar chose to ‘play it safe the way he did’ and wondered whether ‘he helped push the envelope toward progress’. In a recent interview, Shah stood by his statements and said that people criticising him for the same should have read the entire article.
“Those who decided to take offence at what I said about Dilip Saab should have read the entire article and they would have realised that my praise, though conditional, for his acting chops was nothing less than glowing,” he told SpotboyE.
“I practically ran out of superlatives when describing his acting abilities. My 'complaint' had nothing to do with that at all. However, the reaction of people who choose to see meanings where there are none doesn't bother me... I said what I had to say, and if I hadn't meant it I wouldn't have said it.”Naseeruddin Shah, Actor
He also addressed rumours about a professional feud with Dilip Kumar, especially during their sole film together, Subhash Ghai’s Karma.
“The supposed problems we had during the making of a film which I'd rather forget was all the invention of the media and some vested interests who made our working together sound like some sort of acting duel that was to take place, when considering the nature of our respective roles. I actually didn't stand a chance,” he said.
Naseeruddin Shah added that it was childhood dream to work with Kumar.
“All this fanned the non-existent flames when the fact was we hardly even met including in the scenes we had together. I don’t consider acting to be a contest or a game of one-upmanship and I was far from happy with all the talk of Dilip Kumar versus me. I have never denied that it was my childhood dream to act with and not opposite him,” he added.
In his op-ed piece for Indian Express, Shah wrote, “There can be absolutely no dispute about the fact that, at least until Gunga Jamuna, the consummate characterisations, the dignified deportment, the mellifluous diction, the controlled but roiling emotionality in his performances were all unique.”
The legendary Dilip Kumar passed away on 7 July after a prolonged illness.
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