Hours after he deleted his Facebook post backing Diljit Dosanjh over the Punjabi star-singer's collaboration with Pakistani actor Hania Aamir in Sardaar Ji 3, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah shared a quote attributed to German physicist and satirist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg about carrying "the torch of truth".
"It is almost impossible to carry the torch of truth through a crowd without singeing somebody's beard. -Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, scientist and philosopher (1 Jul 1742-1799)" Naseeruddin Shah wrote on Facebook.
What Happened
On June 30, the actor shared a post on his Facebook account in support of Diljit Dosanjh in the wake of the Sardaar Ji 3 controversy. In the note, Naseeruddin Shah said the Punjabi star was not responsible for casting Pakistani actress Hania Aamir in the movie.
Naseeruddin Shah wrote, "I STAND FIRMLY WITH DILJIT... He was not responsible for the casting of the film, the director was. But no one knows who he is whereas Diljit is known the world over, and he agreed to the cast because his mind is not poisoned," he added.
In the same post, the actor said he has a couple of close relatives and friends in Pakistan and no one can stop him from meeting them. "What these goons want is to put an end to personal interaction between the people of India and Pakistan. I have close relatives and some dear friends there and no one can stop me from meeting them or sending them love whenever I feel like it. And my response to those who will say 'Go to Pakistan' is 'GO TO KAILASA'," he concluded.
Naseeruddin Shah's comments backing Diljit Dosanjh prompted a sharp reaction from people on social media.
A section of X users called him the real-life Gulfam Hassan from the 1999 film Sarfarosh. In the Aamir Khan-starrer, Naseeruddin Shah played Gulfam Hassan, a ghazal maestro who works for the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.
"It has been 26 years since the release of the film Sarfarosh but Naseeruddin Shah has still not come out of the character of Gulfam Hassan!!" said an X user.
BJP leader Ram Kadam questioned the intent behind the actor drawing parallels between Pakistan and Kailasa.
"Who told you to go to Pakistan? Kailasa is our sacred land, it is Shiv Bhoomi, a place of Sanatan culture. Why is Naseeruddin Shah equating it with Pakistan?" Ram Kadam told reporters in Mumbai.
"Has he forgotten the Pahalgam attack? Has he forgotten that Pakistan is India's sworn enemy? Is his love for Pakistan greater than his love for India? Those who lost their families in terror attacks - has he ever spoken for them?" he further said.
Following backlash, Naseeruddin Shah deleted the post the next day he made in Diljit Dosanjh's defence. The same day, he shared a fresh post, alluding to speaking "the truth" without offending anyone.
In A Nutshell
Actor Naseeruddin Shah, who defended Diljit Dosanjh amid the Sardaar Ji 3-Hania Aamir row in a Facebook post, found himself embroiled in controversy for supporting the Punjabi star. He deleted the post after being trolled on social media. The actor's new post on Facebook about "carrying the torch without singeing somebody's beard" is gaining a lot of traction on the Internet.
Also read | Sardaar Ji 3: Diljit Dosanjh Shares A Glimpse Of 'Overwhelming Response From The Audience' In Pakistan