Bollywood Clash: Ashok Pandit Hits Back at Naseeruddin Shah
A fresh war of words has broken out in Bollywood after filmmaker Ashok Pandit hit back at veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah over his recent comments against the government. Pandit said the actor's conduct had become unrestrained and suggested that he needed professional medical help.
The row was triggered by a video in which Shah wore a badge reading 'Dimaghi Naxal' and spoke out against the government. Pandit reacted by raising questions about Shah's language, behaviour and political opinions.
Sharing his views in an exclusive interaction, Pandit said he was not shocked by the latest episode. He claimed that over the past year or more, Shah had repeatedly used offensive words and had shed all sense of restraint and etiquette. He said the actor's manner resembled that of a street bully.
Pandit said Shah's behaviour had gone completely out of control and remarked that even goons do not act this way. He questioned whether the actor was genuinely educated, pointing to his tone and vocabulary, which he said revealed desperation. He also said Shah's mental equilibrium seemed to be disturbed and that he was convinced the actor needed medical intervention.
According to Pandit, the anger visible in Shah's expressions and speech stemmed from the success of films the actor dislikes. He mentioned The Kerala Story, The Kashmir Files and Dhurandhar, saying their box-office performance had made Shah feel insecure. He argued that audiences and the national mindset had become more open-minded, especially after Narendra Modi became Prime Minister.
The filmmaker also called Shah part of the 'Tukde Tukde Gang' and an 'Urban Naxal' network, saying he was stating this to the actor's face. Pandit alleged that Shah had hurled insults at Anupam Kher, Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Subhash Ghai, among others, and seemed to see himself as flawless.
He suggested Shah undergo a medical check-up and seek treatment, warning that matters could deteriorate otherwise. Pandit added that he had planned to stay silent but felt the situation had gone too far, since Shah was attacking a political party while being one-sided in his activism.
Turning to the Bengal elections, Pandit said Shah had remarked that the BJP's win was bothering him. He asked whether the actor had ever condemned or spoken about alleged violence against Hindus in Bengal. Pandit claimed that Hindus had been forced to migrate to Assam, with lakhs affected, and blamed Mamata Banerjee's government for dictatorial, anti-Hindu and anti-India conduct, including alleged bans on temples. He said this was why voters had removed the government from power. He ended by urging Shah to get treatment and, if he was consuming any drugs or substances, to quit immediately.