Decades
ago
the
incredible
performing
maverick
Naseeruddin
Shah
had
played
a
malfunctional
anglo-Indian
to
perfection
in
Albert
Pinto
Ko
Gussa
Kyon
Aata
Hai.
Today
Naseer
is
still
appalled
at
the
way
minority
communities
are
stereotypically
portrayed
in
our
films.
"The
bearded,
hitched
-pyjama
look
for
the
Muslim
always
annoys
me," he
says.
It
is
with
the
intention
of
breaking
the
mould
that
Naseer
plays
a
suave
articulate
bomb-planting
mastermind
in
a
new
film.
Naseer
being
an
Indian
Muslim,
it
would
seem
outwardly
incorrect
at
least
politically,
for
him
to
play
the
role
in
A
Wednesday.
Says
Naseer,
"When
I
heard
the
role,
I
immediately
said
yes.
Just
because
I'm
playing
a
terrorist
doesn't
mean
I
become
one.
And
that's
what
those
who
get
their
knickers
into
a
twist
about
my
identity
should
realize.
Decades
ago,
I
did
a
film
called
Adharshila
which
had
a
young
filmmaker
being
humiliated
by
a
top
industrialist.
When
we
asked
this
gentleman
to
play
the
part
he
suggested
he
would
play
someone
who
helps
rather
than
humiliates
the
filmmaker.
The
point
is,
by
playing
a
part
an
actor
doesn't
subscribe
to
its
philosophy.
I
had
no
hesitation
in
doing
A
Wednesday.
My
character
is
named
Anonymous.
Till
the
end
his
name
isn't
mentioned."
Earlier
Naseer
had
provoked
ire
by
playing
a
progressive
Maulvi
in
the
Pakistani
film
Khuda
Ke
Liye.
"The
fact
that
such
provocative
parts
of
people
who
stand
up
and
state
their
point
of
view
heedless
of
the
consequences,
are
being
written
is
heartening.
Surprisingly,
there
were
no
protests
in
India
against
the
arguments
in
Khuda
Ke
Liye.
Filmmakers
just
need
to
get
their
research
right
and
there's
no
need
to
get
unnecessarily
provocative.
If
you
end
up
with
a
bullet
in
your
head
you
aren't
there
to
fight
for
the
cause
you
believe
in.
My
character
in
Khuda
Ke
Liye
knew
the
Quran
in
and
out."
Naseer
says
he
discovered
aspects
of
the
Quran
while
doing
Khuda
Ke
Liye.
"Like
most
Muslims
I
had
read
the
holy
Quran
as
a
child
without
understanding
it.
The
problem
with
a
majority
of
Muslims
in
India
is
that
we
read
the
Quran
without
understanding
it
and
we
allow
the
so-called
authorities
to
interpret
it
for
us.
The
first
thing
every
Muslim
needs
to
do
is
to
understand
the
Quran
more
deeply
and
not
allow
others
to
interpret
it
for
them.
I've
read
the
Quran
but
I'm
far
away
from
being
an
authority
on
it."
About
so
many
films
on
the
theme
of
terrorism
being
released
Naseer
says,
"Hopefully
they
aren't
meant
to
titillate.
Maybe
5-6
films
on
the
after-effects
of
extremism
in
a
few
months
would
be
a
case
of
over-kill.
My
Wednesday
was
ready
for
a
year.
For
some
reason
it's
being
released
weeks
after
another
film
Mumbai
Meri
Jaan
with
a
similar
backdrop."
Story first published: Monday, September 15, 2008, 15:02 [IST]