| Naseeruddin started acting in theatre at 14 years old, debuting with Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. | 
| He is a descendant of 19th-century warlord Jan-Fishan Khan, who aided the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. | 
| His first movie, Nishant (1975), won the National Award for Best Film and was an Oscar nominee. | 
| In 1977, he founded Motley Productions, a theater group. | 
| Although considered for the role, he lost out on playing Mahatma Gandhi in the film Gandhi (1982) to Ben Kingsley. | 
| Honored with the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2003. | 
| He has acted in Hollywood and Pakistani movies, gaining acclaim for his role as Captain Nemo in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). | 
| Naseeruddin holds a lifetime membership in the International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy of Film and Television. | 
| His brother, Retd. Lt. General Zameerud-din Shah, serves as the vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), UP as of 2016. | 
| Released his memoir And Then One day in 2014. | 
| Suffers from onomatomania, a condition causing incessant thinking of words and phrases. | 
| Critiques competitive awards in India, famously repurposing Filmfare Awards as door handles. | 
| Has a complicated relationship with his father, leading to lifelong regrets. | 
| More than 20 feature films starring Naseeruddin Shah have been shelved to date. |