"Vijay Sethupathi always sat down with us, never asked for chair despite being such a big south star, today's actor feel like they are in Hollywood", says Usha Nadkarni

"Vijay Sethupathi always sat down with us, never asked for chair despite being such a big south star, today's actor feel like they are in Hollywood", says Usha Nadkarni

• Usha Nadkarni praises Vijay Sethupathi's humility on Gandhi Talks set
• She contrasts his simplicity with arrogance seen in Marathi and Hindi industries
• Usha praises Jackie Shroff and Akshay Kumar for staying humble despite their fame.

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Usha Nadkarni, known to audiences as Aai for her fearless and outspoken image in Marathi and Hindi entertainment, has shared a strong and detailed set of thoughts about humility, work culture, and how actors behave once they taste success. Even at 77, she continues to act actively and says she has never been the kind of person who stays silent just to please people.

In her interview, Usha spoke about working with South superstar Vijay Sethupathi in the silent film Gandhi Talks, where she played his mother. She described him with genuine affection and respect, and her words were sharp because she used his example to indirectly criticise arrogance she has witnessed in parts of the Marathi and Hindi industries.

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Talking about the film and their bond, she said, “In the silent film Gandhi Talks, I played Vijay Sethupathi’s mother. He is a very sweet person.” She then compared his behaviour with what she often sees closer to home, saying, “In our Marathi or Hindi industry, even if someone has achieved a little, they show a lot of attitude. But he is such a big star and still used to sit on the floor cross-legged.”

Usha emphasized that she and Vijay ended up talking a lot on set, and what impressed her the most was how simple he stayed throughout. In her words, “We spoke so much. People should learn how simple he is.” She added another moment that stayed with her: “On the last day, when the pack-up happened, he greeted me with respect.”

Then she shared a small, personal gesture that made the praise feel even more real. “I pulled his cheeks because I liked him,” she said, explaining why she felt that warmth toward him. She followed it with the strongest line in her praise: “Because he is such a big actor, but he has no arrogance.” And then she delivered the contrast again, almost like a warning to others: “Otherwise, here even people with very little success have so much attitude.” She ended that thought on a hopeful note: “Such simple people also exist in the industry.”

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She explained her approach simply: “We should do our work, and once it is done, go home.” Then she compared it with her experience in Hindi, saying, “In Hindi, they show a lot of love and there is appreciation too.”

Usha also praised some Bollywood personalities she has worked with, again focusing on how fame does not have to change people. “Jackie Shroff is good,” she said, adding, “He calls me ‘Darling hi’.” Speaking about Akshay Kumar, she said, “I was in Rustom with Akshay.” Then she added, “He is also very nice.” She shared a sweet detail: “He showed me photos of his family on his phone.” And she explained why she connects with him: “Akshay feels like one of us.”

Returning to Vijay Sethupathi, she continued her praise with an even more intense line about simplicity. “I have not seen a more poor, simple man than him,” she said. She described the set culture and his behaviour again: “In the houses where we were shooting, he never asked for a chair to sit.” And she repeated the image that clearly impressed her the most: “He used to sit on the floor cross-legged with us.” She then stated what she wants others to take from it: “People in our Marathi should learn this.”

She explained why she thinks people like him stay grounded: “They know what it means to reach here after struggle.” And she ended with a harsh truth, aimed at arrogance: “Here, people die with pride.” She repeated her earlier point again: “If someone does one film, they start thinking they are some big Hollywood-level person.”