Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has clarified that he has not removed his social media post supporting Punjabi star Diljit Dosanjh, amidst backlash over the latter’s collaboration with Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the upcoming film Sardaar Ji 3.
In a new Facebook post, the acclaimed actor stated emphatically, “I have NOT deleted my post about Diljit Dosanjh. I don’t care a fiddler’s fart for backlash.” Known for his candid opinions, Shah did not hold back as he addressed online trolls and political elements attempting to stir controversy.
Backing his stance with a quote from 18th-century German thinker Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, Shah added:
“It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody’s beard.”
Earlier, Shah had defended Diljit amid right-wing outrage, noting that the singer-actor wasn’t even responsible for the casting of the film. In a prior Facebook post, Shah wrote,
“I stand firmly with Diljit. The dirty tricks department of the Jumla Party has been waiting for a chance to attack him. They think they’ve finally got it. But Diljit did not cast Hania—the director did. No one knows who the director is, so Diljit becomes the easy target.”
He didn’t stop there. Calling out the politicization of personal relationships across borders, he added,
“These goons want to end all personal interaction between people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and friends there—and I’ll keep sending them love, no matter who tries to stop me.”
Taking a final jab at those who often spew “Go to Pakistan” rhetoric, Shah signed off with a pointed message:
“My response to that is: Go to Kailasa.”
