Veteran actor Jaaved Jaaferi believes that immense stardom can sometimes become a limitation for actors rather than an advantage. Referring to Amitabh Bachchan’s career as an example, Jaaved said commercial pressures often prevent even the biggest stars from exploring unconventional roles. He also reflected on the younger generation of actors, the issue of typecasting, and why he still feels he has much more to offer as a performer despite spending over four decades in the industry.The 63-year-old looked back on his long journey in films and discussed how both Bollywood and its audiences have changed over the years.Sharing his thoughts on the current crop of actors, Jaaved said every generation brings its own positives and negatives. While he praised younger performers for their professionalism and determination, he felt they often lack patience. “I think the younger lot, they’re in a hurry and they’re not very accommodating and all that. The good part is they are professional, they’re very serious, they’re very focused on what they want. So yes, there are these minuses and pluses,” he said in an interview with HT city. According to him, such differences are natural because every generation approaches work differently. Jaaved also opened up about the tendency of the film industry to repeatedly cast actors in roles that have already proved successful. Although he said he has been fortunate enough to avoid being boxed into a single image, he acknowledged that commercial success often dictates future casting choices.“I can’t say I’ve been stereotyped. I’ve done everything. I’ve played a villain, I’ve played crazy guys, serious films, this, that and the other. I’ve done everything. What tends to happen is whatever works commercially better, people start approaching you with that in mind, that this works with him. That applies even to the biggest of stars because the moment you become a commodity, they don’t allow you. That’s a sad place to be.”To illustrate his point, Jaaved cited Amitabh Bachchan, saying that even the legendary actor experienced a period when commercial considerations restricted his creative choices.“There was a phase when nobody had been bigger than Mr Bachchan. There was a phase when (veteran actor) Mr (Amitabh) Bachchan couldn’t do anything different because it didn’t work. Again, he was limited because the commercial aspects didn’t allow him to move. Now he’s doing the variations which he, as an actor, obviously wanted to do. The commercial aspects didn’t allow him to move.”Reflecting on his own career, Jaaved said he has deliberately avoided appearing too frequently on screen, believing that maintaining variety and spacing out projects has helped him sustain his longevity.“As an actor, though I have done a lot of work. But you have to space yourself out. The moment you saturate yourself, then it becomes a problem because if you’ve done everything. But by the grace of God, I managed it just right. I’ve played a villain, I’ve played crazy guys, done serious films as well. Yet I feel there is a lot more left to explore in me.”
