Anant Nag: The Star Who Never Played the Stardom

An Enigma Called Anant Nag. In this tribute, the author makes a compelling case for what Anant Nag’s life and career can means for today’s celebrities and film personalities

Wednesday was an uneventful day for Bengalureans. Many who had returned after the Ganesha festival, were perhaps still carrying the memories of celebrations back home. There was no major disruption to shape the day either, not even the incessant rain Bengaluru is accustomed to. Yet, on social media, Karnataka witnessed a stream of intemperate messages from those who are proud to call themselves progressives and liberals. For them, the otherwise uneventful day suddenly acquired meaning.

The reason? A post on social media, X by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While retweeting a PIB announcement, Modi congratulated septuagenarian actor Anant Nag on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024. The award, the country’s highest cinematic honour, recognises Nag’s contribution to Indian cinema over more than five decades.

Nag has never been inhibited about praising Modi or his leadership. That was enough for some to turn the award news into a political argument. One commentator even went to the extent of saying, “He was not a Kannadiga. If they were so determined to give the award to a Kannadiga, then the Government of India would have given it to his fellow actor Jaggesh.” Others posted messages suggesting that Nag had praised Modi in the hope of receiving the award. In the rush to settle political scores, the actor himself appeared to become secondary.

Mentored in the experimental theatre of Satyadev Dubey, Anant Nag entered Indian cinema........

© News9Live