Paresh Rawal, who served as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from 2014 to 2019, and veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah have long stood on opposite sides of the political spectrum. While Shah has frequently criticised 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 opened up about his admiration for Shah, the influence he has had on his craft, and why their ideological differences have never come in the way of mutual respect.The discussion began 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 watched Sparsh multiple times while doing Aankhen. I haven’t seen any actor portray a blind man as beautifully as Naseeruddin Shah did in Indian cinema. There is a sparkle in the eyes of a person who is blind. It may sound like an oxymoron, but what I mean is that his expressions were perfect. He broke away from the stereotypes and caricatures that had been created around such characters.”Speaking 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 are not the kind of friends who visit each other’s homes. We speak over the phone sometimes. I can’t be casual around him because I have tremendous respect for him. He isn’t the kind of person who opens up to everyone, and he makes that very obvious. Besides being a fantastic actor, he is 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 over them. I had once said in an interview that if Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan or Shah Rukh Khan raises a concern, I will hear them out. I won’t reject what they say outright. I will try to understand their point of view. If I feel they are wrong, I will 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 watched their work.“Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri were not conventional good-looking heroes. A friend from IFTDA, Subhash Dangay, would often tell me about this actor from NSD (National School of Drama). I became curious, and one day he took me to where Naseer lived. That evening I saw Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri standing in the parking lot. I hadn’t even seen their work then, but I was mesmerised. They had something magnetic about them. Once you’ve seen Naseeruddin Shah, you simply can’t take your eyes off him. The same was true of Om Puri.”He added that their acquaintance later developed while working in theatre.“I used to be hypnotised by him. I was always trying to understand what made him so fascinating.”Rawal went on to recall that his first opportunity to work alongside Shah came 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 I would happily do even a tiny part if it meant working with Naseeruddin Shah. That’s where I officially met him. I had a few scenes with him and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”For Rawal, appreciation from Shah has always mattered more than industry awards. “I have never looked for validation through awards. Once the director says ‘cut’, I move on. But when Naseeruddin Shah called me after watching Mumbai Meri Jaan and said, ‘Jiyo yaar jiyo, kya kaam kiya hai,’ that was the biggest award of my life.”Rawal also came to Shah’s defence over the criticism he faced after voicing concerns in 2018 about his children’s safety 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 for one statement. That’s unfair. It isn’t our culture to target someone’s children because of what they said. You perform at Prithvi Theatre. If someone really wanted to harm you, they could. But that’s not how our society functions.”Rawal was referring to remarks Shah made during a conversation with Karwaan-e-Mohabbat in 2018, where the actor spoke about choosing not to raise his children with a religious identity.“I was given a religious education…But Ratna [Pathak Shah, Naseeruddin’s wife] did not get any religious education. We chose not to give a religious education to our children. So I fear for my children… because if a mob gathers around them and asks them are you a Hindu or Muslim, they will not have any 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 relationships with colleagues such as Anupam Kher and Paresh Rawal despite having differing political views.“I was born into a family where my father came from an RSS background and my mother was a Communist. There were constant debates and arguments at home, yet we all lived happily together. Disagreeing with someone’s opinion doesn’t mean disliking the person. This idea that anyone who disagrees with you should be cancelled is very new. It is not our culture.”She further added: “They’re making Indians fight with each other like children in a school playground, the way bullies treat weaker kids. Do we want to become like that? No. I won’t become one, nor will I let my children become one. Whoever I can influence, I will tell them that we cannot become bullies. We have to become cultured human beings. That is our culture.”