Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipient veteran actor Anant Nag said he doesn't want to return to acting, citing what he described as deteriorating scripts, poor content, and shifting priorities in Indian cinema.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV's Deepak Bopanna, the actor clarified that his decision was not related to his health.
"There are no health concerns," Anant Nag, 78, said.
Explaining why he stepped away from acting, Anant Nag said he grew unhappy with the quality of scripts and how films were being made. "I saw that the scripts were deteriorating," he said.
Anant Nag recalled working on five films in 2021-22. He said he gave his "everything" to the projects and offered his suggestions to the young filmmakers involved. However, he was not satisfied with how the films turned out.
"Whenever I am there, whenever I'm shooting, my portions would be to my satisfaction. But thereafter, I wouldn't know what was happening behind my back, and the result was all five films failed," he said.
The experience eventually led him to decide that he no longer wanted to act.
"All five films failed. I said, 'This is it, to hell with this. I'm not doing anymore.' And I stopped at that."
Anant Nag also spoke about what he believes has changed in contemporary cinema. He criticised the growing focus on ego and money, questioning whether filmmakers still pay enough attention to the audience and the content they are being offered.
"What are you, and who are where are the viewers?" he asked.
The veteran actor also questioned the emphasis on huge box-office collection figures, particularly claims involving Rs 1,000 crore, Rs 2,000 crore and Rs 5,000 crore.
"Before everything and all, '1,000 crores, 2,000 crores, 5,000 crores ' collection.' I see where? Where from? Why then is the producer becoming a pauper?"
Anant Nag said the financial success of the producer and the quality of the film should remain central to filmmaking. He questioned whether the audience was being given content worth watching.
"What are you presenting to the audience?"
When asked if there was a contemporary director he would still like to work with, Anant Nag had a straightforward answer.
"There is none. There is none. That is the tragedy."
The actor also reflected on his own career and admitted that he was not satisfied with how it had ended.
"At the end of this career, yeah, I'm not satisfied. I didn't know that this is the way it is going to end."
Anant Nag went on to recall a time when cinema was about more than entertainment. According to him, films once offered audiences enlightenment, education, and information, alongside entertainment. He feels those values have gradually disappeared.
"All that disappeared, and all values seemed gone; nobody cared about them."
Veteran actor Anant Nag has been named the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2024 for his contribution to Indian cinema.
The announcement was made by the Press Information Bureau on Wednesday.
The award will be presented to Anant Nag at the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony, which will be held in Kevadia, Gujarat, on September 22, 2026.
The veteran actor has received five Karnataka State Film Awards during his career. In 2025, Anant Nag was conferred the Padma Bhushan, India's third‑highest civilian award, by the Government of India.
For the unversed, Anant Nag played the role of Anand Ingalagi, a veteran journalist and author who narrates the epic story of Rocky Bhai in KGF: Chapter 1.
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