There’s no such thing as inborn talent. Your talent is the amount of labour you put in: Naseeruddin Shah

Naseeruddin Shah made a quiet appearance in Bengaluru recently. The acting legend was in town not with a play or a film, but to inaugurate an abstract art exhibition. “The paintings remind me of the kind of plays that I find the most fascinating – abstract plays. These are pictures of the world as the artist sees it. And to me, that’s the most wonderful idea to follow,” the actor said, as he graced the opening day of Cairo-born artist Abeer Ibrahim Shah’s showcase, titled whose paintings are characterised by vibrant colours, bold strokes, sweeping ideas and imaginative concepts.
Wearing a pastel green coat, the actor took the podium in the presence of a small gathering of art lovers at Alliance Française de Bangalore. “I was about 12 or 13 years old when I decided to become an actor, but I couldn’t confess it to anybody. Although my brother, Zaheeruddin Shah, encouraged me to pursue my dreams, he also warned me of the risks involved in my decision. At least, acting now is a respectable profession to a certain extent. There is no stigma attached to it anymore. But a child who wants to be a sculptor or a painter still has nowhere to go for guidance. So, I suppose the best teacher you can get is yourself. I don’t think there is any such thing as inborn talent. Your talent is the amount of labour you put in,” the veteran actor said.