Veteran actor
Usha Nadkarni has never been one to mince words, and at 77, she remains as candid as ever. Known for her fearless screen presence and outspoken nature, she recently shared her thoughts on work culture, stardom, and humility in the film industry, drawing from her personal experiences across Marathi, Hindi, and South cinema.
Recalling her time on the silent film ‘Gandhi Talks’, where she played
Vijay Sethupathi’s mother, Usha spoke warmly about the South superstar’s conduct on set to Money control. “In the silent film ‘Gandhi Talks’, I played Vijay Sethupathi’s mother. He is a very sweet person,” she said, before highlighting what truly stood out to her.
Despite his massive popularity, Vijay’s behaviour remained disarmingly simple. “He is such a big star and still used to sit on the floor cross-legged,” she remarked, adding pointedly, “Vijay Sethupathi always sat down with us, never asked for a chair despite being such a big South star.”
A subtle dig at industry attitude
Using Vijay’s example, Usha couldn’t help but contrast it with what she has often witnessed closer home. “In our Marathi or Hindi industry, even if someone has achieved a little, they show a lot of attitude,” she observed, before delivering a sharp line: “Today’s actors feel like they are in Hollywood.”
She emphasised how grounded Vijay remained throughout the shoot. “We spoke so much. People should learn how simple he is,” she said. One gesture stayed with her even after the cameras stopped rolling. “On the last day, when the pack-up happened, he greeted me with respect.”
Usha shared a small but telling personal moment that reflected their bond. “I pulled his cheeks because I liked him,” she laughed, before adding, “Because he is such a big actor, but he has no arrogance.” She followed it up with a reality check: “Otherwise, here even people with very little success have so much attitude.” Still, she struck a hopeful note, saying, “Such simple people also exist in the industry.”
Usha Nadkarni's philosophy of work and respect
Summing up her own approach, Usha said, “We should do our work, and once it is done, go home.” Comparing industries, she added, “In Hindi, they show a lot of love and there is appreciation too.” She also named a few Bollywood colleagues who left a positive impression on her. “Jackie Shroff is good,” she shared fondly, adding, “He calls me ‘Darling hi’.” Speaking about Akshay Kumar, she recalled, “I was in ‘Rustom’ with Akshay. He is also very nice.” She even remembered a personal touch: “He showed me photos of his family on his phone. Akshay feels like one of us.”
A final word on struggle and groundedness
Returning once more to Vijay Sethupathi, Usha delivered her strongest praise yet. “I have not seen a more poor, simple man than him,” she said, using the word to stress humility, not status. Describing the shooting conditions, she added, “In the houses where we were shooting, he never asked for a chair to sit. He used to sit on the floor cross-legged with us.”
Explaining why some actors stay grounded, she concluded, “They know what it means to reach here after struggle.” Ending on a blunt note, she said, “Here, people die with pride. If someone does one film, they start thinking they are some big Hollywood-level person.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the
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