Naseeruddin Shah's TOP 10 HITS

In a career almost five decades, Naseeruddin Shah has worked on about 200 films.

While he was the poster boy of New Age cinema in the 1970s and early 1980s, he took a turn towards commercial cinema in the mid 1980s and 1990s.

Joginder Tuteja looks at Naseer's top 10 commercial grossers, where he either had the leading part or played a pivotal role.

Note: Numbers have not been adjusted for inflation.

 

Mohra
Box office collections: Rs 12 crore

Naseer had a long association with film-maker Rajiv Rai and they worked on quite a few films together.

Their biggest film was Mohra where Naseer played an important part, for whom the characters played by Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty were 'mohra'.

As a good man who turns evil, Naseer was fun to watch.

 

Karma
Box office collections: Rs 7 crore

Before Mohra, Naseer collaborated with Subhash Ghai in the masala film, Karma.

The film featured Naseer with Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff along with Dilip Kumar and was a massive success at the box office.

 

Tridev
Box office collections: Rs 8.50 crore

Tridev was the first time he collaborated with Rajiv Rai, and the director gave him the film's biggest chartbuster, Tirchi Topi Waale.

This, when Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff were in the lead roles as well.

The song stays the most popular in Naseer's career.

 

Krrish
Box office collections: Rs 69 crore

Naseer clearly had fun playing an evil scientist in Hrithik Roshan's Krrish.

A sequel to Koi... Mil Gaya, Rakesh Roshan's film had the actor step in as the main villain.

 

Sarfarosh
Box office collections: Rs 19 crore

A ghazal singer who turns out to be a Pakistani spy, there was a humane quality about the character played by Naseer in Sarfarosh.

The ghazal picturised on him, Hosh Waalon Ko Khabar Kya, is one of the highlights of this action dramatic affair.

Welcome Back
Box office collections: Rs 97 crore

In this ensemble affair by Director Anees Bazmee, Naseer was the newest inclusion as the lead villain, along with leading man John Abraham.

Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar reprised their role from Welcome and Naseer made sure that the transition from the late Feroz Khan to his character in the film was smooth.

 

The Dirty Picture
Box office collections: Rs 80 crore

In a sleazy part of an ageing actor who lived the casting couch syndrome and considered women as an object of lust, Naseer took a no-holds-bar approach in Ekta Kapoor's production The Dirty Picture.

Director Milan Luthria made sure he had a meaty part to play in the film also starring Vidya Balan, Emraan Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor.

He got another chartbuster with Ooh La La.

 

China Gate
Box office collections: Rs 13 crore

In the Raj Kumar Santoshi film, Naseer was one of the many actors, including Om Puri, Amrish Puri and Danny Denzongpa, who shared centre stage to take on the main villain, played by Mukesh Tiwari.

The movie is remembered most for Urmila Matondkar's Chamma Chamma and the ensemble cast's fine performances.

 

Ishqiya
Box office collections: Rs 25 crore

Naseer and Arshad Warsi got together in Ishqiya, a twisted romantic drama with action and thrills.

Director Abhishek Chaubey created an interesting part for the actor and then repeated it in Desh Ishqiya.

 

A Wednesday
Box office collections: Rs 11 crore

As a nameless 'common man', Naseer was a powerhouse in A Wednesday, Neeraj Pandey's directorial debut.

He held the audience's attention as he played a cat and mouse game with Anupam Kher.