Paresh RawalServed as a Member of Parliament for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2014 to 2019 and is a veteran actor Nasiruddin Shah has long been on opposite sides of the political spectrum. While Shah was often critical of the ruling party and its policies, Rawal has always expressed deep admiration for him as an actor. Summarizing his past respect, Rawal said: “Even Naseeruddin Shah’s enemies admired him. There was something about him that you couldn’t take your eyes off of him.”In a recent conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Rawal spoke about his admiration for Shah, his influence on his craft, and why their ideological differences never got in the way of mutual respect.The discussion started with Rawal revisiting the visually impaired character he played in Aankhen. He revealed that while preparing for the film, he watched Shah’s performance in “Spash” over and over again.“I watched Sparsh’s work several times while shooting for ‘Aankhen’. I have not seen any actor portray a blind man as perfectly as Nasiruddin Shah did in Indian cinema. There is a twinkle in the blind man’s eyes. It may sound contradictory, but I mean his expressions are perfect. He breaks away from the stereotypes and caricatures that are created around such characters.”Speaking about their relationship, Rawal clarified that while they were not close friends in the traditional sense, he had always had the highest respect for Shah. “We’re not the kind of friends who visit each other’s houses. We talk on the phone sometimes. I can’t be casual around him because I respect him so much. He’s not the kind of guy who opens up to everyone and he shows that clearly. In addition to being a great actor, he’s also a great guy.“LaVar also acknowledged that the two had very different political beliefs but said those differences never affected their relationship. “We may have different political ideologies but we never argue. I once said in an interview that if Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan Ask questions and I’ll listen to them. I would not outright reject what they say. I try to understand their perspective. If I think they’re wrong, I tell them. “Recalling the first time he met Shah and the late Om Puri, Rawal said he was attracted to their presence even before viewing their work.“Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri were not handsome heroes in the traditional sense. Subhash Dangay, a friend of IFTDA, often introduced me to this actor from NSD (National School of Drama). I was curious and one day he took me to where Naseer lived. That night, I saw Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri standing in the parking lot. I hadn’t even seen their work at the time, but I was hooked. There is something magnetic about them. Once you see Naseeruddin Shah, you cannot take your eyes off him. So is Om Puri. “He added that they met while working in the theater.“I was once hypnotized by him. I always tried to understand what made him so fascinating.”Rawal went on to recall that his first opportunity to work with Shah was in “Lori.” “The first film we worked on together was Lorie. It starred Farooq Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Swarup Sampath. I had a small role. Director Vijay Talwar knew that if he had to work with Naseeruddin Shah, I would be happy to play even a small part. That’s where I officially met him. I did a few scenes with him and really enjoyed the experience. “For Rawal, Shah’s appreciation was always more important than industry awards. “I have never sought recognition through awards. Once the director said ‘cut it’, I would move on. But when Naseeruddin Shah called me after watching Mumbai Meri Jaan and said, ‘Jiyo yaar jiyo, kya kaam kiya hai’, that was the biggest award of my life.”Rawal also defended Shah from the criticism he faced after he expressed concerns in 2018 about the safety of his children in India.“People admired Naseeruddin Shah. Even his enemies admired him. He had such qualities. Sometimes people end up saying certain things. Don’t judge him because of one sentence. It’s unfair. Targeting other people’s children because of what their children said is not our culture. You are performing at Prithvi Theatre. If someone really wants to hurt you, they can. But that’s not how our society works. “Rawal was referring to remarks made by Shah during a conversation with Karwaan-e-Mohabbat in 2018, when the actor talked about choosing not to raise his children in a religious capacity.“I had a religious upbringing…but Ratna [Pathak Shah, Naseeruddin’s wife] Did not receive any religious education. We choose not to provide religious education to our children. So I worry for my children…because if a mob gathers around them and asks them are you a Hindu or a Muslim, they won’t have any answer. They have no religion,” he said.Earlier, in an interview with ‘The Lallantop’, Ratna Pathak Shah explained why she and her husband continue to have warm relations with colleagues like Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal despite having different political views.“I was born into a family where my father is from an RSS background and my mother is a communist. Although the family was noisy, everyone lived happily. Disagreeing with someone does not mean disliking that person. The idea that anyone who disagrees with you should be canceled is very new. This is not our culture. “She further added, “They make Indians fight like kids in the school playground, like bullies do to weak kids. Do we want to be like that? No. I won’t be like that, and I won’t let my kids be like that. Whoever I can influence, I will tell them, we can’t be bullies. We have to be literate people. That’s our culture.”