Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah took a dig at Anupam Kher in an interview, calling the fellow actor a clown and one who need not be taken seriously. The National Award-winning actor was speaking in an interview with The Wire about the ongoing protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register across the country.
In the interview, Naseeruddin spoke about how the younger generation of actors, writers and directors have risen up against discriminatory politics. When asked about how some in the film industry have also supported divisive policies, the veteran actor said that they are fewer than those who oppose such policies. Taking the example of Kher, known for his pro-BJP stance, Naseeruddin said, “Anupam Kher has been very vocal. I don't think he needs to be taken seriously. He is a clown. Any number of his contemporaries from NSD and FTII can attest to his sycophantic nature. It's in his blood, he can't help it.”
While supporting Deepika Padukone's stance to support the JNU students who were recently attacked, Naseeruddin also said that he understands why Bollywood superstars have been silent, but wondered for how long they can keep silent.
Speaking about the protests, Naseeruddin said that the youth have suddenly risen after realising that they are being trampled upon by those in power. He criticised the amended citizenship laws, citing that documents such as passport, voter ID card, driving license and Aadhaar card should be enough to prove one's citizenship, and that many people won't be able to produce their birth certificate. He added that he was not afraid nor anxious, but angry that such a law has been imposed on people.
Naseeruddin said that the contempt shown to the student community and intellectuals hurt him the most. He also went on to mock Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that people who never knew what it was like to be a student or have had any intellectual pursuits would consider students or intellectuals to be a pest. He said that Modi had admitted before he became prime minister that he didn't pursue higher studies. “This was before he got his doctorate in entire political science, which like Anurag (Kashyap), I would also be very interested in having a look at.
He also asked if speaking against the ruling party or the government is blasphemy.
