I want to keep one leg in each boat: Naseer

Chandigarh, July 27: Naseeruddin Shah, who has made an indelible imprint on Indian cinema and theatre, says he wants to keep one leg in each boat for survival.

Talking to reporters on the eve of his theatre presentation 'Katha Collage' in the city, the star actor said he was intelligent enough to know the importance of financial security.

''I need not justify playing roles in films like 'Krrish.' I want to keep one leg in each boat,'' he said in response to a query as to why he had been taking part in commercial Hindi cinema even as he condemned it.

Denying that he never called hindi films ''rubbish'', Naseer said, ''I have condemned the cinema made for money alone.'' However, he added that he did not regret his choices. ''I'm proud about some of my performances, embarrassed about a few but not ashamed about any of them.'' Maintaining he felt quiet satisfied with his career graph, the veteran actor said given a chance, he would like to re-live his life as it is.

On his directorial debut, 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota,' he said many critics had commented that he was better off in theatre, but felt he should at least be given credit that the film was made and released in about a year. ''Many of my films, about 25, have not even been released. It could be a record of sorts,'' he quipped.

Asserting it was in the realm of theatre that he derived immense satisfaction, the actor-director said, ''Theatre to me, means communicating with people.'' ''I would be happy if I can help mould next generation of actors,'' Naseer said adding he is associated with Subhash Ghai's acting institute and would be teaching there.

Naseeruddin said his success and reputation was not the result of his roles in commercial Hindi cinema. ''Hindi commercial cinema has not made me. It's due to the earlier films I did,'' he said in an apparent reference to his art films which helped him get established as a great actor. Regarding the difference between the direction of a film and a play, he said: ''Directing a film or a play is not very different.

In theatre, you have to choreograph scenes. In cinema, you have the advantage of the camera to put things across in close ups but in theatre you have to use other techniques to highlight a particular aspect.'' Asked to explain a statement he made in the past that 'Critics are not God', he shot back in his characteristic candid style : ''Do you think they are God?'' To another question, he said ''I care for my work being scanned.

I am happy if it is liked. I feel unhappy if it is not liked.'' About the Katha Collage, he said it was a compilation of three short stories--'Bade Bhai Saheb' and 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi' by Munshi Prem Chand and 'Sankraman' by Kamtanath.

UNI