Mumbai: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah, who had recently found himself in a controversial soup post his comments on Taliban-Afghanistan issues, opened up on why the Khans of Bollywood refrain from speaking about controversial subjects. He stated that they shall be subjected to harassment if they dare to speak up.
Naseeruddin Shah expressed his views on the way in which a few big film-makers and actors alike are being stimulated towards making movies that are quintessentially pro-establishment.
Speaking to NDTV, Naseeruddin Shah said, “ They are being encouraged by the government to make pro-government films, to make films lauding the efforts of our beloved leader. They also being financed, also promised a clean chit if they make movies which are propaganda, to put it bluntly. The kind of big-budget films that are coming. The big ones cannot disguise the jingoistic agenda.”
The 71-year-old actor made it clear that he was never subjected to any kind of discrimination for being a Muslim. He also revealed that early in his career, he was advised to change his name. However, he kept it.
Shah further added that the three big Khans of Bollywood — Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan — choosing to stay silent over the issue doesn’t surprise him as they shall have to face the heat of harassment.
According to Shah, they have so much to lose including the endorements and it is a question of their entire establishment getting harassed.
Naseeruddin Shah is a three-time National Award winner. He was also the recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri as well as the Padma Bhushan titles. Shah was a part of a lot of big movies in playing noteworthy characters like in The Dirty Picture, Sarfarosh , Iqbal, A Wednesday , Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.
