Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah find themselves in another war of words, reigniting their long-standing feud over Shah's 'clown' remarks and Kher's political affiliations.
IMAGE: Anupam Kher in the Ram Bhoomi film.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Anupam Kher/XKey Points Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah have reignited their public feud after Kher responded to Shah's old remarks calling him 'a clown' and a 'sycophant'.
An old tiff between Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah has resurfaced on social media, where the veteran actors have engaged in a war of words against each other.
It started when Naseer called Anupam Kher a 'clown' and that 'sycophancy is in his blood'.
Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah find themselves in another war of words, reigniting their long-standing feud over Shah's 'clown' remarks and Kher's political affiliations.
IMAGE: Anupam Kher in the Ram Bhoomi film. Photograph: Kind courtesy Anupam Kher/X
Key Points Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah have reignited their public feud after Kher responded to Shah's old remarks calling him 'a clown' and a 'sycophant'.
The controversy resurfaced after Kher announced his role as Ashok Singhal in the film Ram Bhoomi, drawing criticism and allegations of diverting attention from Ram temple donation issues.
Kher directly addressed Shah on X, stating he doesn't take his comments seriously and highlighting Shah's history of criticising other prominent personalities.
An old tiff between Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah has resurfaced on social media, where the veteran actors have engaged in a war of words against each other.
It started when Naseer called Anupam Kher a 'clown' and that 'sycophancy is in his blood'.
The clip gained traction after Kher shared the first look of his upcoming film Ram Bhoomi, in which he portrays the late Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Ashok Singhal.
Kher re-shared the clip, adding his own answer to it.
Political Allegations and Social Media Reaction
Anupam Kher announced the Ram Bhoomi film last week on social media, and said that he felt 'immense joy and pride' to be a part of it.
The post drew sharp criticism online, with some netizens accusing the actor of trying to divert attention from allegations surrounding the alleged theft of donations linked to the Ram temple, an issue that has generated political debate.
Kher, a vocal supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government's policies, has often expressed his views publicly.
One user on X wrote that Kher's visit to Ayodhya and promotion of the film were part of a publicity exercise, drawing comparisons with his involvement in The Kashmir Files.
'On July 8 itself, I had told you why this drama queen came to Ayodhya. Before The Kashmir Files was made, he was touring Kashmir and expressing 'fox love' to the displaced Kashmiri Pandits. As soon as the film became a hit, he distanced himself from the Pandits. The same theatrical love he's now showing from Ayodhya,' the user commented.
'Do you know what runs in my blood? Hindustan'
IMAGE: Naseeruddin Shah. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Reuters/Rediff Archives
On Monday, Kher addressed Shah, and posted his reply: 'Janab Naseeruddin Shah, I saw a video of yours in which you called me a clown and a sycophant. Thank you for your words, but let me make it clear that I do not take your comments seriously. I have never spoken against you.'
He went on to say that Shah had spent much of his successful career expressing frustration and criticising several well-known personalities, including Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli.
'Nobody took you seriously, so I know I am in good company. If criticising me makes you happy, then you should be happy,' Kher added.
He concluded his post by saying, 'Do you know what runs in my blood? Hindustan. Jai Ho.'
A History of Disagreements
This is not the first time the two actors have disagreed publicly.
In an earlier episode, Kher had said he continued to respect Shah despite his comments.
'I still have great respect for Naseer. However, he sometimes speaks loosely about me,' Kher had said at the time.
He revealed that the two later met following the death of filmmaker H D Pathak, where Shah apologised to him.
'We met recently and he said, 'Sorry, yaar',' Kher had recalled. The latest exchange has once again brought their long-running differences into the public spotlight.
Photograph curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
