Farhan Akhtar on Nasseruddin Shah’s criticism of his acting:’Why should I reach out to a person who doesn’t respect me?’ | Bollywood
Updated on: Aug 16, 2025 09:34 pm IST
Naseeruddin Shah once gave his opinion about Farhan Akhtar in an old interview, and said that he doesn’t like Farhan’s acting.
Farhan Akhtar is responding to the comments made by Naseeruddin Shah about his acting and films. Farhan and Naseeruddin shared screen space in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraa, where Farhan played the veteran actor’s son. In an interview with Galatta Plus, Farhan has now reacted to how he felt about the critical comments made by Naseeruddin and why he did not feel the need to reach out afterwards.
What Farhan said
When the host asked about whether he reached out to Naseeruddin regarding his critical comments on his acting, Farhan said no and elaborated why. “I have been doing films for 25 years. There are certain actors, directors, writers who I have known and they have debuted maybe 10 years after me. If there is something in their work that I feel, from my observation, that this could be better or that I have this piece of advice to give them… genuinely I would pick up the phone and call them. Or say I would like to meet you and sit down and have a conversation with a person who I care about in a sensitive way because you are going into somebody’s creative process, and giving them constructive feedback from your point of view,” he said.
He could have called me to discuss it, says Farhan
Farhan then went on to add, “But it has to be done with a certain degree of love, and a certain degree of respect for the other person. I felt that it didn’t come from that place. I just felt it was just like a statement just theown out publicly. I felt that then this person doesn’t respect you… so why should I reach out to a person who doesn’t respect me? It was very clear to me that if he really did genuinely feel that… he knows my dad, Shabana, my mom and me… we worked together in ZNMD, so it would have been the easiest thing for him to say that I want to speak to you why don’t you come over!”
For the unversed, in a 2013 interview with The Times of India, Naseeruddin had said, “Farhan Akhtar’s films I clearly don’t care for. I liked his first film Dil Chahta Hai. He’s a tremendous person and has so many facets to him. Tomorrow I won’t be surprised if I hear that he cooked a 10 course meal to perfection. He sings, acts, produces films and writes, I think it’s great he’s doing whatever he can. I’m not a great fan of his acting or his films. But I admire him.”
Farhan is the son of screenwriter Javed Akhtar. He started his career in Bollywood as an assistant director with films such as Lamhe in 1991 and Himalay Putra in 1997. Since then, he has directed Dil Chahta Hai, Lakshya and Don, and acted in Rock On!, Luck By Chance, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Dil Dhadakne Do. He will be seen next in 120 Bahadur.
