Naseeruddin Shah was in awe of Sean Connery on the sets of The Experience Of Bonding With Bond

By Subhash K. Jha -

November 2, 2020 - 12:50 PM IST

Naseeruddin Shah has only done one international film, a big comicbook adaptation titled, The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. It was not a pleasant experience for Naseeruddin and he never returned to international projects.

Naseeruddin Shah was in awe of Sean Connery on the sets of The Experience Of Bonding With Bond

But, he did get to work with Sean Connery in what turned out to be his last feature film.

Recalling the experience, Naseeruddin says, “I expected him to be a person happy in his own skin and confident enough to not indulge in starry behaviour of any kind and he didn't' disappoint me there!”

Connery was the cynosure of all eyes on the sets. Besides Naseeruddin Shah, the film also starred Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Stuart Townsend, Shane West, Jason Flemyng, Edward Hyde, Richard Roxburgh, Max Ryan, Tom Goodman-Hill, David Hemmings, Terry O'Neill.

Recalls Naseeruddin Shah, “All us co-actors were certainly in awe of Sean but he never displayed any sign of entitled behaviour. He didn't need to, he was perfectly happy sitting around in his undershirt sans his wig, with us all and scratching himself and breaking wind!”

Unlike other stars, Sean Connery actually took genuine interest in the lives of his colleagues. Says Naseeruddin, “He often asked us things about ourselves, which was touching. Celebrities are never interested in others. They're always waiting to be asked things about themselves and are happy to hold forth about themselves even if not asked! Sean was an exception.”

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