Naseeruddin Shah's birthday: His top 5 lesser-known non-Bollywood films
Naseeruddin Shah, one of the most notable Indian actors in parallel cinema, turned 73 on Thursday (July 20). In a career spanning nearly five decades, not only did Shah win three National Awards, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri, among other accolades, but he also won millions of hearts across the country. But, only some know about these non-Bollywood films that he nailed as well.
'A Holy Conspiracy'
What makes the 2022 Bengali drama film A Holy Conspiracy special for all cinema lovers is that it stars Shah along with legendary late actor Soumitra Chatterjee. Directed by Saibal Mitra, the film is an adaptation of Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee's novel Inherit the Wind. The film also stars Biplab Dasgupta, Amrita Chattopadhyay, and Kaushik Sen in pivotal roles.
'Dhh'
Starring Shah, the 2017 Gujarati children's film Dhh directed by Manish Saini has won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Gujarati. The film narrates the touching story of three friends (Gungun, Bajrang, and Vakil) who believe themselves to be failures up until "The Magician" enters. All three think that this magician is the only one who can assist them.
'Deool'
The 2011 Marathi dark comedy film Deool marked the debut of Shah in the Marathi film industry. Directed by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni, the film won three National Film Awards for Best Feature Film, Best Actor (Girish Kulkarni), and Best Dialogue. Apart from Kulkarni, the film also stars Nana Patekar, Dilip Prabhawalkar, Sharvani Pillai, and Sonali Kulkarni in lead roles.
'Ponthan Mada'
Starring Mammootty and Shah, the 1994 film Ponthan Mada won four National Awards and is the only Malayalam film starring Shah. Set in the 1940s, it follows Ponthan Mada, a member of a lowered caste, who forms a rapport with his colonial landlord, who was banished from England to British India as a young man for his support of the Irish Republican Army.
'Mane'
Directed by Girish Kasaravalli, the 1990 Kannada film Mane stars Shah, Deepti Naval, and Rohini Hattangadi in lead roles. Mane marked the director's first-ever explicitly urban film. It follows a married couple who move into a newly rented but shoddy room in a building that houses a loud mechanic's shop, making it impossible for the two to take any rest.
