Naseeruddin Shah: All acting schools in India are frauds

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah says that the acting schools in India which promise newcomers to train them in acting, are frauds and do no good to one’s acting skill in the end. He further emphasised that it is possible for one to train himself and become an actor. He drew legendary actors Amitabh Bachchan and Dilip Kumar’s reference to establish the same.

“There are no acting teachers in the country, they are all shams, they are all frauds and I have no hesitation in saying this. All these people running acting schools are absolute and utter frauds, they are fooling the kids who come to them and teach them nothing. There is no acting teacher in this country and it is a really unfortunate thing, considering how old the film industry is,” Naseeruddin Shah stated, during an interview.

“I believe that anyone who is passionate about acting can learn on his own. Dilip Kumar never went to an acting school, Amitabh Bachchan never went to an acting school, Kamal Haasan never did yet all of them are such fine actors. An actor trains himself and that is what I believe. Being in an institution is conducive to learning,” he added.

Shah himself is an alumni of National School of Drama, a renowned institution which has given birth to many well-established artists.

“I learnt at National School of Drama because I had the urge to learn. I was exposed to many things I was not exposed to before, so my horizons widened, but you can do it on your own as well. I don’t think it’s essential for an actor to go to a training school to train yourself,” he said, about being a student of NSD.

Presently in India, there are a number of acting schools, ‘Actor Prepares’ (an acting school run by actor Anupam Kher) and Roshan Taneja Acting School being most popular out of them. A number of present-generation actors have trained themselves from these institutions.

We wonder how some of the veteran names of the industry are going to get along with it!

Also Read: NASEERUDDIN SHAH INAUGURATES 7TH JAGRAN FILM FESTIVAL

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.