Mumbai: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Monday said he doesn't consider it a compliment when fellow actors confess about being "nervous" in front of him.
Shah, who has straddled the worlds of cinema, TV and theatre with equal prowess for close to 45 years, said he tries to make the new talent feel at ease whenever he collaborates with them.
"It doesn't please me when young actors say they are nervous when they are working with me, because I don't think that's a compliment.
"If my presence disturbs a co-worker, that's not a compliment or an accomplishment on my part. I try to help them overcome their nervousness, I don't always succeed," he said.
The actor, best known for his work in films including Nishant, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Ijaazat, A Wednesday and shows like Mirza Ghalib, Bharat Ek Khoj, said he learnt this lesson from his seniors in the industry who never made him feel overwhelmed with their presence.
"I don't remember being nervous in the presence of an actor who I liked very much, including Dilip Kumar, Sean Connery, Ashok Kumar... So if an actor gets nervous in my presence, it's not a good thing," he added.
Shah, who turned 70 on Monday, was interacting with media at the virtual press conference of his upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Bandish Bandits.
The ten-part show follows the story of two lovers, Radhe and Tamanna, played by Ritwik Bhowmik and Shreya Chaudhry, from different musical backgrounds.