Naseeruddin finds fascination with Oscars 'laughable'

Actor Naseeruddin Shah, a veteran in the Hindi film world, says Indian filmmakers' fascination for the Academy Awards is "laughable". He believes "we are never going to win any".

The 63-year-old, who has featured in films like "Masoom", "Sarfarosh", "Iqbal" and "The Dirty Picture", was asked what he makes of the current scenario of Indian filmmakers fighting with each other to make it to the Oscars.

"The fascination with the Oscar...I find it laughable, because we are never going to win any. I mean those who are hoping about it just forget about it, because it's never going to happen. It's like chasing the rainbow," he said.

This year, Gujarati film "The Good Road" is India's official submission for the foreign language film category at the 86th Academy Awards.

Naseeruddin says the fascination for an Oscar is futile.

"It's just a yearning for worldwide recognition and we feel that Oscars guarantees us that, so that's why there is this hankering for an Oscar. It's ridiculous. I think everybody should just keep making the kind of films they want to make," he added.

Meanwhile, the actor is currently busy promoting his film "Dedh Ishqiya". He shares the frame with Bollywood's dancing diva Madhuri Dixit and sets the record straight about his reported "steamy scenes" with her in the movie.

"There are no such scenes in the film. I think people just enjoy talking about this kind of stuff, so I am assuring those who want to see 'Dedh Ishqiya' that there are no steamy scenes between Madhuri and myself. It's all poetry but its good poetry," he said.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, "Dedh Ishqiya" also features Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi.