Does one introduce Naseeruddin Shah? A man at once uber-successful and an outlier, one whose remarkable talent and individualistic choices have created a cult following that shows no sign of waning four decades into his theatre and film career.
At Algebra, Naseer served up a double treat that took his cult following up another few notches: a specially-crafted dramatised reading, followed by an intimate conversation on rebellion, heartbreak and self-belief.
In the process, he displayed the canny intelligence and ability to read – and lead – an audience that have been a hallmark of his career.
The first evidence of that was his reading from James Thurber’s fables, a masterful act of political ventriloquism even as he disavowed himself as a political animal. As he said: artists may sometimes not speak in their own voice, but can borrow others’ voices to speak their real thoughts.
Afterwards, in conversation with Shoma, he was everything you imagine an artist will be: angular, truth-telling, unabashed, unmanufactured. He spoke of the scar tissue his fractured relationship with his father has left in him; his abandonment of his first child Heeba; his relationship with drugs and art and that hardest ammunition to get: self-belief.
You could have seen him on a stage or screen for years, but we wager you’ve rarely seen Naseer like this. For a deep dive into the life of this complicated artiste, also order a copy of his “blisteringly honest” autobiography, And Then One Day.
Watch the full session above.
14th April, 2019
14th April, 2019
7th April, 2019
31st March, 2019
31st March, 2019
27th January, 2019
Algebra, the Arts & Ideas Club brings together a fellowship of people who believe great cities are built not just on infrastructure but a life of the mind; who understand robust and liberal societies need the oxygen of great conversation and nuanced thinking.
At a time when we are increasingly surrounded by rage and noise, Algebra is a live and continuous space for people to come together for a genuine exchange of ideas and exposure to issues; where new seeds could be sparked, fresh perspectives formed, and intelligent connections made.
Algebra – the Arts and Ideas Club is designed to host almost 35 engagements over the year with topline thinkers and practitioners from almost every discipline that impacts human affairs: politics, economy, environment, spirituality, cinema, medicine, science, technology, music, media, literature, the arts, sports, people’s movements, et al.
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