Candid Conversation with Naseeruddin Shah & Ratna Pathak Shah: Celebrating Art, Culture, and Vintage Cameras at Museo Camera
“When I was leaving, he typically stuffed a 100 rupee note into my hand with a gruff admonition to behave myself and not smoke too much. Ammi hugged me warmly and told me to try and understand him.” We had absolutely nothing in common…” And Then One Day. A Memoir, a book by Naseeruddin Shah- funny, candid, honest, and scintillating, as its readers say. The book talks about his early days and interactions with people in Bollywood and occurrences.
Recently, the Gurgaon audience witnessed and celebrated the presence and interaction of Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah at Museo Camera. The couple visited the museum to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Camera Archive’s opening. This museum is dedicated to vintage cameras and showcases analogue photographic equipment spanning over a century, including collectable and limited-edition cameras and photographic gear.
Museo Camera is also home to the very model and camera brand that captured the mushroom cloud in 1945 – an event that marked one of the most significant and devastating moments in human history after the bombing of Hiroshima on August 8. Interestingly, seventy-eight years later, on the same date, Aditya Arya proudly exhibited the same brand and camera model to Naseeruddin Shah. The camera used for this historic occasion was a Fairchild K-17 aerial reconnaissance camera.
The celebrated couple captivated the audience with their sincerity and charm while discussing their early experiences in Bollywood, their passion for theatre, and more. Known for his unreserved opinions, Naseeruddin Shah stated, “Taking a stance and expressing what you feel is essential. Remaining indifferent to your surroundings is not an option. Silence indicates compliance.” In sync, the duo also discussed their shared love for theatre. Without hesitation, the actor shared that he had never felt nervous on stage, but the only time he experienced nervousness was during an online performance in the midst of the Covid pandemic. “I couldn’t sense or see the audience, which made me realise that as an actor, the audience’s reaction shouldn’t overly affect the performer.”
Recalling the past, Ratna Pathak reminisced about her days in “Idhar-Udhar,” where she portrayed a ‘dumb girl,’ setting the course for her illustrious career. “With minimal experience and limited filming equipment, the ‘Idhar-Udhar’ team took nine days to shoot a single episode, a far cry from the efficiency of present times.” Reflecting on their journeys and shared love for theatre, their conversation highlighted their distinctive traits and their common ground.
Deeply impressed by Ismat Chughtai’s writings, the veteran actor stated, “Ismat Apa’s work remains relevant today. She possessed extraordinary foresight. Her stories written in the 1930s and 1940s continue to mirror contemporary life. Human politics and the dynamics of relationships were her recurring themes.” The couple recently performed at ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ during the Delhi Theatre Festival 2023, held in New Delhi last week.
The inception of Museo Camera traces back to 2009, when it originated as a personal collection of photographic apparatus in Aditya Arya’s basement – a Photographer, Historian, and Archivist. The place represents a unique collaboration between the India Photo Archive Foundation and The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram. It functions as a contemporary hub, promoting art, culture, and literature through non-ticketed distinctive events and exhibitions.