Naseeruddin Shah charms packed crowd in Hyderabad with wit and Urdu classics

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah said he was disinvited from Mumbai University’s Jashn-e-Urdu event at the last minute, remarking with characteristic wit that he felt like an ‘uninvited guest at a wedding’.

“I have always loved students. When I am around students, I truly feel young again,” Mr. Shah said speaking at the 16th anniversary celebrations of Lamakaan in Hyderabad on Thursday (February 5, 2026), adding that he was delighted when invited to the university event.

“However, on the night of January 31, I was asked not to come. I was disinvited, and I felt like a bin bulaaya mehmaan kisi ke shaadi main ghus aaya hoon. Baraat waale samajhte hain main dulhan ki taraf se hoon, and dulhan waale samajhte hain main baraat ki taraf se hoon (an uninvited guest who has wandered into someone’s wedding, where the groom’s side thinks I belong to the bride’s family and the bride’s side thinks I belong to the groom’s),” he said, drawing laughter from the audience.

Mr. Naseeruddin Shah said he believed the decision may have stemmed from concerns that he could say something controversial, or that he might speak so much Urdu that no one would understand it. Continuing in a lighter vein, he added “so the calamity I wanted to bring down upon Mumbai University, I thought I would instead unleash upon Hyderabad.”

The event at Lamakaan in Banjara Hills drew unusually large crowds. By 7 p.m., long queues formed outside the venue, with vehicles lining the surrounding roads. Once the gates opened, the chairs were filled within minutes, leaving many to stand along the edges. As more people continued to arrive, staff eventually closed the gates around 7.45 p.m., citing safety concerns.

At 8 p.m., Naseeruddin Shah and actor Ratna Pathak Shah walked in to loud cheers and applause. Phones were quickly raised across the venue as attendees, ranging from senior citizens to college students, attempted to capture the moment. Elahe Hiptoola, co-founder of Lamakaan, introduced Mr. Naseeruddin Shah as the son-in-law of Hyderabad, prompting another round of applause.

The highlight of the evening was Mr. Naseeruddin Shah’s recitation of classic Urdu poetry. He began with Allama Iqbal’s Sair-e-Falak, followed by Faiz Ahmad Faiz’s Dua and Sahir Ludhianvi’s Taj Mahal. The performances were received with rapt attention, with the audience listening in near silence. The evening concluded with Mr. Naseeruddin Shah reading a chapter from Imtiyaz Ali Taj’s Chacha Chakkan ne Khat Likha, bringing the characters alive through his dramatic narration. The reading ended to sustained applause from the packed gathering.

Before departing, the audience called Ms. Ratna Pathak Shah back to the stage, where she thanked the crowd and organisers, bringing the celebratory evening to a close.