Mumbai, May 17 (IANS) After creating a distinct niche for himself, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah now wants to be identified as his son’s father.
Currently he is off to Dehradun with wife Ratna Pathak to watch his younger son’s first stage production.
“It’s a play that Vivaan has directed in school,” said the proud father. “My wife and I are going to watch it. He has been winning the best actor award on stage for two years. But this is his first stab at direction,” the actor, known in the industry as Naseer, told IANS.
Naseer’s son Imaad is about to make his debut as a leading man in “Dil Dosti Etc”.
“But it isn’t his debut by any means,” Naseer clarified. “He played a small role as a baby with me in ‘The Perfect Murder’. He also did a part in my ‘Pestonjee’ many years ago.
“Then he was seen in my directorial venture ‘Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota Hai’. And now he’s making his full-fledged debut as a leading man in ‘Dil, Dosti Etc’.
“In addition Imaad is also acting in (screenwriter) Sooni Taraporewala’s directorial debut about the Parsi community.”
But Imaad keeps insisting that acting isn’t his true calling.
“I don’t know why he keeps saying that,” said the concerned father. “I think he wants to make a mark on his own. The thought of a head start through me doesn’t comfort him too much.
“What’s bothering him is that if he’s an actor, he’d be known primarily as my son. He wants to be known as his own man. But it isn’t up to him… Acting is bound to take over his life.”
Naseer says that his younger son has made up his mind about being an actor.
“As a child I too had made up my mind I wanted to be an actor. But I couldn’t reveal my aspirations to anybody. I stuck to my dreams. Now I wait to be known as my sons’ father.”