Cinemaazi wishes Naseeruddin Shah a very happy birthday

Riding on some bravura performances in films like Nishant (1975), Sparsh (1979), Aakrosh (1980), Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai (1980), Bhavni Bhavai (1980), Katha (1982), Masoom (1982) and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983), Naseeruddin Shah became one of the most well-known actors to emerge from parallel cinema. He also made successful forays into commercial cinema, in both lead and supporting roles. Many of his performances have achieved cult status and his acting style has had a huge influence on what is considered naturalist acting in Indian cinema. A student of Aligarh Muslim University and later the NSD, he has been active as an actor and director onstage throughout his career. Also making the crossover to international cinema, he famously played Captain Nemo in the big-budget The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). An often outspoken critic of Hindi cinema's star system, he has penned a memoir titled And Then One Day. Along with Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, his body of work from the 70s and 80s comprises a vast majority of what is considered parallel cinema, that attempted to provide an alternative to commercial fare. He is a winner of three National Awards, three Filmfare Awards and the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. Here's wishing Naseeruddin Shah a very happy birthday!