Naseeruddin Shah has supported actor Deepika Padukone’s visited to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, calling it “courageous”.
In a recent interview with The Wire, Naseer talked at length about the protests against the CAA, the deafening silence of big Bollywood celebrities on it, the student protests and Deepika’s decision to show solidarity.
When asked if speaking against the ruling party or voicing their opinions could cause harm to an actor or the film they are associated with, Naseer said the actor usually think only of themselves.
"Anupam Kher is a clown. He's a sycophant. It's in his blood." - #NaseeruddinShah
— Sir Jadeja fan (@SirJadeja) January 22, 2020
These "liberals" can't even tolerate their colleagues having a different opinion and then they lecture us about tolerance. pic.twitter.com/c1mQzApWHG
“Otherwise there’d be more parity. But that’s a story for another day,” he said. He then said he lauded the courage of Deepika for visiting JNU.
“You have to laud the courage of a girl like Deepika who is in the top firmament and yet takes a step like this. Even if she has a lot to lose,” he said. He also seemed confident that those against her will soon forget it all.
"I do not need any reassurances, that Muslims do not need to worry. I am not worried....I am not afraid, I'm not anxious, I am angry. That such a law has been imposed on us." #NaseeruddinShah in an interview with @bombaywallah.
— The Wire (@thewire_in) January 22, 2020
Watch the interview here:https://t.co/zGOCeHdlg4 pic.twitter.com/lgeq0GgyO1
“Let us see how she takes it. She’ll lose a few endorsement, sure. Will that impoverish her? Will that lessen her popularity? Will that make her less beautiful than she is? They’re gonna come around sooner or later. The only god that film industry worships is money,” he added.
Naseer had less kind words for his A Wednesday co-star Anupam Kher, who vocally endorses the government and its policies on Twitter.
“Someone like Anupam Kher has been very vocal. I don’t think he needs to be taken seriously. He’s a clown. Any number of his contemporaries from NFD and FTII can attest to his sycophantic nature. It’s in his blood, he can’t help it.”
जनाब नसीरुदिन शाह साब के लिए मेरा प्यार भरा पैग़ाम!!! वो मुझसे बड़े है। उम्र में भी और तजुर्बे में भी। मै हमेशा से उनकी कला की इज़्ज़त करता आया हूँ और करता रहूँगा। पर कभी कभी कुछ बातों का दो टूक जवाब देना बहुत ज़रूरी होता। ये है मेरा जवाब। 🙏 pic.twitter.com/M4vb8RjGjj
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) January 22, 2020
Responding to 'A Wednesday' co-star, Kher took to his Twitter to share a video message for 'Jenaab Naseeruddin Shah Saab'. He said, "I saw the interview you gave about me. Thank you. I don't take you or your opinions seriously. Even though I have never bad-mouthed about you.
"But now I will say — you have spent your entire life (even after achieving success) in frustration. If you can criticise Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rajesh Khanna, Virat Kohli... then I am sure, I am in great company."