The making of a Madboy: What’s Imaad Shah into, these days?

The musician, actor and soon-to-be filmmaker is tripping on Libyan disco, Delhi history, and a little-known fish from Goa. Could these be your favourites too?

Which Imaad Shah do you know?

Actor and musician Imaad Shah last played the dreamy Roman in Made in Heaven 2 and is the other half of Madboy/Mink. (Sanah Abbott)

The 34-year-old actor who made his debut in Yun Hota To Kya Hota (2006), appeared in a clutch of indie films, played the nice guy friend Ron in Bombay Begums (2021), and the dreamy Roman in Made in Heaven 2 (2023)?

The other half of Madboy/Mink, the funk/disco act he formed with Saba Azad in 2012, and who has a separate acoustic career and performs solo too?

The son of acting stalwarts Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, who’s worked on productions of Katha Collage, Waiting for Godot, By George and Manto Ismat Haazir Hai?

The filmmaker-in-waiting, whose untitled short film has been selected for NFDC Film Bazaar’s Work in Progress Lab?

Or as someone whose curls have simply defied gravity through it all?

If it seems like a lot, it’s only because Shah sees them as extensions of the same idea. “For me, at the end of the day, a successful person is someone who is fulfilling their own creative requirements, someone who has created a life in which they can express themselves the way they want, be it in art, food or running a business. And they are doing it freely,” Shah says.

Unsurprisingly, his interests include everything from Bosnian history and Libyan disco to Goan chonak fry and horror comedy. Here are his favs.

Five books you’ve liked recently.

The Last Mughal and Byculla to Bangkok are some must reads.

The Last Mughal (2006) by William Dalrymple. “It’s an incredible portrait of Delhi on the eve of the First War of Independence in 1857. Poetry, Corporate Greed, Old Delhi, Ghalib – it has everything”.

Delhi Ki Aakhri Shama (1986) by Mirza Farhatullah Baig. “A fictionalised account of the last mushaaira under the patronage of Bhadurshah Zafar. A satire and a great account of 1850s Delhi, offering a sense of the language and culture of the time.”

Midnight Freeway (2021) by Vivaan Shah. “Hard-boiled noir. A detective story set in contemporary Mumbai. Entertaining, gripping and consistently funny.”

Byculla to Bangkok (2014) by S Hussain Zaidi. “It’s the sequel to Dongri to Dubai. Hard to put down.”

Parivarnama (2022) by Shehla Hashmi Grewal. “A family history intertwined with the story of Delhi from when it was called Shahjahanabad. It follows one Muslim family’s commitment to India’s freedom and to progressive and humane ideals.”

For Imaad, a successful person is someone who is fulfilling their own creative requirements, freely. (Sanah Abbott)

Five shows you’ve binged on.

I am a Virgo (2023).“It’s funny, sarcastic, political. I love Boots Riley’s work and would recommend his film ‘Sorry to Bother You’ as well.”

Tabbar (2021). “Well acted, gripping, tense, great buildup.”

Deadloch (2023). “Dark comedy-mystery is one of my favourite genres. This is another testament to how amazing Australian filmmaking is.”

The Great (2020). “Another political satire. The tale of Catherine the Great is set in Russia, but with the actors talking in British English.”

Rise of Empires: Ottoman (2020). “Most of my reading these days is about the rise and fall of empires. The series about the Ottomans was one of the most interesting.”

Five movies you’ve enjoyed.

Death in Sarajevo shows moments from Bosnian history, including the 1990s genocide.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023). A man falls asleep on a bus and wakes up believing he’s somebody else. “Lijo Jose Pelliserry is such an original director. The characters, the situations, the acting, the writing, all so good.”

El Conde(2023). “A horror comedy and a political satire that shows the Chilean dictator Pinochet as a vampire. Angry and funny at the same time.”

Naseem (1995). “A beautiful film from one my favourite directors, Saeed Mirza, and featuring a great performance by Kaifi Azmi. As relevant as ever and one out of a very short list of Hindi films with decent Muslim representation.”

No Bears (2022). “A Jafar Panahi film about two parallel love stories unfolding in the interiors of Iran. It’s realistically paced and yet very gripping.”

Death in Sarajevo (2016). “Moments from Bosnian history, including the 1990s genocide, told through a very gripping, high stakes story.”

Five foods you’re always craving.

Imaad craves Chonak fry, a fish mostly available in Goa .

Kulcha Nihari. “Particularly from Mubeen’s in Lucknow. Those flaky kulchas are unlike any other roti.”

Chonak fry. “One of my favourite fish, mostly available in Goa and a few obscure Malvani joints in Mumbai.”

My deceased Dadi Ammi’s kheema samosas. “Takes me back to childhood.”

Undhiyu. “A Gujarati dish made of winter vegetables. Again closely connected to my heritage.”

Tamil Nadu’s biryanis. “Every part of our country has its own biryani. In my opinion, these are the best.”

Five artists you’re listening to.

Guitar player, poet and singer Curtis Mayfield used his songs to advocate civil rights for Black people.

Ahmed Fakroun. “Libyan Disco. It’s unbelievably funky. Tasteful, aesthetic and whenever I play any of it during DJ sets, people lose it on the dance floor.”

Thelonious Monk. “He was a pure legend. His music is the Bible of jazz for me.”

Zohrabai Ambalewali. “The playback singer from the ’30s and ’40s. Her voice makes me feel things.”

Nermin Niazi. “This Pakistani British Disco / New Wave artist gets me nostalgic.”

Curtis Mayfield. “Guitar player, poet and singer. He used his songs to advocate civil rights for black people and all marginalised people. One of the icons of the ’70s.”

Ahmed Fakroun plays unbelievably funky Libyan Disco.

Five Insta handles you’re following.

Middle East Eye @MiddleEastEye. “It’s independent journalism from the Middle East and North Africa which has played a very important role reporting from Gaza.”

Masalalab @_MasalaLab. “Krish Ashok debunks a lot of pseudoscience and hearsay about food.”

Fatima Khan @Fati.Amma. “One of the best journalists in the country right now.”

Jazzie Sillona @JazzieSillona. “A cinematographer shooting Hong Kong, documenting great jazz music and sharing colour-grading tips.”

Mohsin Qureshi @Chef_Mohsin_Qureshi. “I love that she shares recipes and talks about the history of food.”

Imaad has made a short film, which was selected for NFDC Film Bazaar’s Work in Progress Lab. (Sanah Abbott)

Fav music app: YouTube. But I’ve gone back to what we were doing when we were teens- recommendations from people.

Fav new music act: A musical rendition of Sufi poet Amir Khusrau’s life Jo Dooba So Paar, in which a group of singers sit on stage and sing their hearts out.

Fav podcast: Empire (2022-) by William Dalrymple and Anita Anand. It looks at the history of the British empire, colonialism, slavery. And Team Deakins (2020-), in which cinematographer Roger Deakins interviews film professionals.