10 Theatre Actors Who Should Be Superstars Instead Of Khans

In Bollywood, there have been actors who’ve been titled as Superstars in every era. Their charisma, peculiarity, attitude, looks, idiosyncrasy, eccentricity and popularity among masses aided their rise to Superstardom, not necessarily their acting talent alone. Having said that, it certainly does not mean that their acting skills were not good. And then, there have been actors, known purely for their acting prowess. The debate on the difference between a “Superstar” and a “Brilliant Actor” is one, which will never stop.

For almost three decades now Bollywood has been dominated by the “Khans”- Salman, Aamir and Shah Rukh. All are ‘Superstars’ in their own ways. But are they actors par-excellence? Well, some say yes, while others differ.

Here’s a list of some theatre actors who have never been called “Superstars”, but when it comes to their acting skills, the ‘Khans’ appear a bit dreary.

1. Naseeruddin Shah

The name needs no introduction in Indian Cinema. An accomplished actor in every sense, Nasseruddin Shah is a National School of Drama (NSD) and Film and Television Institute of India (FTTI) alumnus. His versatility stems from his performances in various main stream movies, parallel cinema, stage plays and television serials, during a career spanning more than four decades. He made his debut in Shyam Benegal’s ‘Nishant’ in 1975 and went on to deliver stellar performances in hits like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron’, ‘Karma’ and many more. He has received 3 National Awards apart from many Filmfare trophies, and has been honored with ‘Padma Shri’ and ‘Padma Vibhushan’ awards too.

2. Nana Patekar

An actor with an inimitable style of acting and dialogue delivery, Nana Patekar is the only actor ever to win the Filmfare award for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain categories. His father encouraged him to watch plays which developed his interest in acting. Nana was part of the theatre group Rangayan, with Vijaya Mehta, and did many plays in Marathi. A three time National Award winner, Nana got his first National Award for his powerful performance in the 1989 blockbuster ‘Parinda’. A perfectionist to the core, he underwent commando training for his directorial venture ‘Prahaar’. He received Padma Shri in 2013 for his dedication in the field of Films and Arts.