In an interview to a news portal, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah chose to speak up. “Unfortunately, India is going through something that has been deliberately engineered. We stand out for unity in diversity. In recent times, however, vendetta politics has stifled the democratic and secular weave of our country,” stated the seasoned Shah.
His comments come in the backdrop of the Nupur Sharma Hate Speech controversy. Ms Sharma was suspended by the BJP after several Middle East nations raised official concerns about remarks made by her about Prophet Muhammad in a recent TV news debate. Describing her as a “fringe element,” the BJP distanced itself from her comments and said that her words do not reflect the party’s views.
However, the comment has left the country on the verge of a communal riot. “News channels ought to broker peace and apply discretion before sensationalizing matters. Hate-For-Profit media is as much to blame as is Nupur Sharma,” he observed. The actor par excellence also urged “proactive intervention” from PM Modi to stop the hate from spiralling.
When asked about silence from the three reigning Khans’ on political matters, Shah chose not to mince words: “Don’t know how they explain it to their own conscience. Guess, they have too much to lose. Look at what happened to Aryan Khan. Whether he was guilty or not, he had to face the spotlight. SRK had earlier supported Trinamool and applauded Mamata Banerjee. Sonu Sood decides to help people at his own cost. Anyone who makes any statement gets a response. Maybe, I am next.”
The actor, known for a balanced take, also spoke about actors and filmmakers who choose to tread the “nationalistic biopic scripts for movie.” While leaving the obvious unsaid, his answer leaves one with many questions: “They want to be on the winning side. Without a reputed historian backing the script or entrusted with its screenplay, how do such films qualify as historical narratives?”
Also Read: BJP Suspends Nupur Sharma Over Her Comments Against Prophet Mohammed
