Naseeruddin Shah (born 20 July 1950) is a notable Indian actor who has made his mark in Indian parallel cinema and various international productions. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare Awards, and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan awards for his contributions to Indian cinema. Shah has had a highly active career in mainstream Bollywood cinema beginning with the 1980 film Hum Paanch. Some of his most important contributions to cinema include films such as Nishant, Aakrosh, Sparsh, Mirch Masala, Masoom, and more. Apart from working in the Indian film industry, Shah has also starred in international projects including Monsoon Wedding in 2001 and a Hollywood adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003. He has played pivotal roles in several films and has made significant contributions to the theatre by directing plays and performing with his theatre troupe at various places including New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Lahore.