Naseeruddin Shah, a veteran Bollywood actor and an alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD), has recently voiced strong opinions regarding the quality of training at the institution. In a conversation with Aahana Kumra on "Curtain Call," Shah, along with his wife Ratna Pathak Shah, also an NSD alumnus, shared their experiences and criticisms of the esteemed drama school.

Shah stated bluntly, "There was no acting teacher worth the name at NSD when I was there". He elaborated that while one teacher instilled in him the discipline required for acting, he did not gain any knowledge about the craft itself during his time at NSD. "But as far as the craft of the work itself, apart from gaining experience in acting over several plays over the years, I didn't learn anything about acting while I was at NSD," he admitted. Ratna Pathak Shah echoed his sentiment, stating that even seven years after Naseeruddin Shah's graduation, the school had not found a worthwhile acting teacher.

Shah has been a vocal critic of acting schools for years. In the past, he has called acting schools in India "shams" and "frauds," alleging that they "fool the kids who come to them and teach them nothing". He has also stated, "There is no acting teacher in this country and it is a really unfortunate thing, considering how old the film industry is".

Furthermore, Shah has expressed that "only failures come back to teach" at NSD. This statement reflects his belief that those who have not succeeded in the acting world often end up teaching at these institutions. He also believes that acting is learned, not taught, and that aspiring actors can learn on their own. He has often cited examples of legendary actors like Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Haasan, who never attended acting schools yet achieved great success.

Despite his criticism, Shah acknowledges that NSD exposed him to a world of theatre and helped him discover discipline and good taste in the theatre. He also recognizes the school's contribution to Indian theatre, noting that it has produced many brilliant actors despite what he considers a "muddled" actor training scene. Jyoti Subhash, Shah's batchmate from NSD, mentioned that NSD provided opportunities to perform international plays under the direction of international directors, which enriched their knowledge.

Shah has also advocated for the promotion of regional drama schools over mega-institutions like NSD. He believes that these larger institutions often fail to prepare students for the realities of the industry, leading to a small percentage of graduates actively working in theatre. He argues that regional theatre literacy can help regional theatre flourish.

While Shah is critical of the formal training imparted at institutions like NSD, he emphasizes the importance of experience, observation, and imagination in an actor's development. He believes that the "theatre of life" provides the greatest training for an actor.