Paresh Rawalwho served as a Member of Parliament for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from 2014 to 2019 and a veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah they have long been on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Although Shah has often criticized the ruling party and its policies, Rawal has consistently expressed deep admiration for him as an actor. Summing up his respect in the past, Rawal had said, “Even Naseeruddin Shah’s enemies admire him. There is something about him that doesn’t let you take your eyes off him.”In a recent conversation with Vickey Lalwani, Rawal spoke about his admiration for Shah, the influence he has had on his craft and why their ideological differences have never interfered with mutual respect.The discussion started with Rawal revisiting his role as a visually impaired man in ‘Aankhen’. He revealed that he repeatedly watched Shah’s performance in ‘Sparsh’ while preparing for the film.“I saw Sparsh several times while doing Aankhen. I have not seen any actor portray a blind person as beautifully as Naseeruddin Shah did in Indian cinema. There is a sparkle in the eyes of a blind person. It may sound like an oxymoron, but what I mean is that his expressions were perfect. He broke with such caricatures and character stereotypes.”Talking about their relationship, Rawal clarified that although they are not close friends in the traditional sense, he has always held Shah in the highest regard. “We’re not the kind of friends who visit each other’s houses. We talk on the phone sometimes. I can’t be casual with him because I have tremendous respect for him. He’s not the type of person to open up to everyone, and it’s very obvious. Besides being a great actor, he’s also a wonderful human being.“Rawal also acknowledged that the two have sharply contrasting political beliefs, but said those differences have never affected their bond. “We may have different political ideologies but we have never argued about them. He had once said in an interview that if Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan raise a concern, I will listen to them. I won’t reject what they say directly. I will try to understand your point of view. If I think they’re wrong, I’ll tell them.”Recalling the first time he saw Shah and the late Om Puri, Rawal said he was captivated by their presence even before he had seen their work.“Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri were not conventional handsome heroes. An IFTDA friend, Subhash Dangay, often told me about this NSD (National School of Drama) actor. I was curious and one day he took me to where Naseer lived. That night I saw Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri in the parking lot. I hadn’t even seen his work at the time, but it fascinated me. There was something magnetic about them. Once you have seen Naseeruddin Shah, you simply cannot take your eyes off him. Same thing happened with Om Puri.”He added that his knowledge developed later while working in the theater.“I used to be mesmerized by him. I was always trying to understand what made him so fascinating.”Rawal recalled that his first chance to work alongside Shah was in ‘Lorie’. “The first film we worked on together was Lorie. It starred Farooq Shaikh, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Swaroop Sampat. I had a very small role. Director Vijay Talwar knew that he would gladly do even a small part if he wanted to work with Naseeruddin Shah. That’s where I officially met him. I had a few scenes with him and really enjoyed the experience.”For Rawal, Shah’s appreciation has always mattered more than industry awards. “I have never sought validation through awards. Once the director says ‘cut’, I go ahead. But when Naseeruddin Shah called me after watching Mumbai Meri Jaan and said, ‘Jiyo yaar jiyo, kya kaam kiya hai’, it was the biggest award of my life.”Rawal also defended Shah over the criticism he faced after he expressed concerns in 2018 about the safety of his children in India.“People adore Naseeruddin Shah. Even his enemies admire him. He has that quality. Sometimes people end up saying certain things. Don’t judge him on a single statement. That’s unfair. It’s not our culture to target someone’s children for what they say. You’re acting at Prithvi Theatre. If someone really wanted to hurt you, they could. But that’s not how our society works.”Rawal was referring to remarks Shah made during a conversation with Karwaan-e-Mohabbat in 2018, where the actor discussed the choice not to raise his children with a religious identity.“I was given a religious education… But Ratna [Pathak Shah, Naseeruddin’s wife] he received no religious education. We chose not to give our children a religious education. So I fear for my children… because if a mob gathers around them and asks them if you are a Hindu or a Muslim, they will have no answer. They have no religion,” he had said.Earlier, in an interview with ‘The Lallantop’, Ratna Pathak Shah explained why she and her husband have continued to share warm relations with colleagues like Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal despite having different political views.“I was born in a family where my father was of RSS background and my mother was a communist. There were constant debates and arguments at home, but we all lived together happily. Disagreeing with someone’s opinion doesn’t mean they don’t like it. This idea that anyone who disagrees with you should be written off is very new. It’s not our culture.”He further added: “They are making Indians fight each other like children in the schoolyard, like bullies treat weaker children. Do we want to become like that? No. I will not do that, and I will not let my children be like that. Whoever I can influence, I will tell them that we cannot become bullies. We must be cultured human beings. This is our culture.”