His name, particularly in north India, may not ring a bell immediately. But veteran actor Nasser’s face is unforgettable. He was Veerapandiyan in Ponniyin Selvan, Bijjaladeva in Baahubali, the friendly butcher in Chachi 420, the colonel in Roja, and the father of the twin brothers in Jeans. The list goes on ––700 productions to be precise––and yet, he remains unstoppable. The latest addition to his extensive filmography is the upcoming cli-fi series, The Jengaburu Curse.
Directed by National Award-winner Nila Madhab Panda, the show that releases on SonyLiv on August 9, explores the ongoing environmental crisis. It is set in a small town in Odisha and follows a woman’s search for her researcher father, who goes missing in the mines. “While India is facing torrential rains and floods are wreaking havoc, the temperatures have risen in Europe. Climate change is a curse humans have brought upon themselves,” he says, adding, “The series talks about all of this without being preachy. But, it is also not simply documentation. The story is emotional and has been told in a thrilling manner. It’s been shot like a James Bond movie.”
Nasser was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan-2 by Mani Ratnam, a filmmaker he has collaborated with on multiple projects. In fact, his breakthrough role that came two years after his debut, was in Nayakan (1987), a Ratnam directorial.
The 65-year-old reveals that it was a part he had asked for. “That was the first and last time. I believe when a director approaches me, it is because they have envisioned me in that role,” he says. Evidently, the formula has worked for the actor, who has never been on a break during his 35-year-long career.
Nasser has been at it for so long that he says that films have stopped feeling like work. “I no longer take up projects to challenge myself. They are experiences that I enjoy. I play around with my characters,” he says.
Nasser attributes much of this success to his open-minded outlook. Whether it is the format, director or role, he has been welcoming of all kinds of changes that the entertainment industry has gone through over the years. “Films today have turned pan-Indian, even global. We are experimenting with different kinds of cinema and audiences are loving this exchange. We are now known as Indian cinema and I am glad that we no longer have the terms south, north, east or west,” says the actor, who has starred in films across seven languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, English and Bengali.
Some of his best-known films are Iruvar, Pokiri, Irudhi Suttru, Indira, Kuruthipunal, Rowdy Rathore, Hey Ram, Bhageeratha and D-Day. He adds that he also enjoys working with new directors, who are “well informed and technically equipped” as it gives him an opportunity to keep learning.
The approach perhaps comes in handy when he puts on his director’s hat. He branched out as
a filmmaker for the first time in 1995 with Avatharam, and has helmed six films, including Devathai and Pop Corn since. Having juggled both roles, however, has made him acknowledge and be more accommodating of the eccentricities of each job. “As an actor, I never intrude in the director’s space. Simply because that is not what I appreciate when I am behind the camera. I may suggest
a few changes and have a chat if I am not comfortable with a scene, but I never interfere,” says Nasser, who will next be seen in Game Changer (Telugu) and Captain Miller (Tamil).