Highlights
- Kangana Ranaut has backed Piyush Mishra after he criticised Naseeruddin Shah over his comments about Bollywood’s silence on student protests.
- Ranaut said she would “rather be a dog” than a “lomdi” (fox), referring to Shah.
- The dispute began after Shah compared Bollywood’s silence on student protests to a “dog with a bone in its mouth”.
- Mishra questioned Shah’s own response to the Jharkhand students’ protest.
A war of words between veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah and Piyush Mishra has drawn BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut into the controversy, with Ranaut backing Mishra and launching a pointed attack on Shah.
The dispute began after Shah criticised Bollywood personalities for remaining silent over student protests. He compared those who refused to speak out to “a dog with a bone in its mouth that cannot bark”.
Mishra later challenged Shah’s remarks while speaking to the media during a student protest in Jharkhand, questioning where the actor stood on the issue.
Piyush Mishra questions Naseeruddin Shah’s comments
Mishra referred to Shah’s earlier remarks about celebrities who had remained silent during protests and questioned why Shah himself was not speaking about the Jharkhand students’ protest.
“With all due respect, I would like to ask you, where are the other dogs who can’t speak?”
Mishra also referred to people who had taken part in protests in Delhi and Mumbai over the NEET paper leak controversy. He alleged that some protesters were more concerned with comforts such as pizza and burgers than standing with students fighting for their rights.
While criticising Shah’s comments, Mishra maintained that he continues to respect him as an actor. However, he said he no longer feels intimidated by the veteran star.
Kangana Ranaut joins the row
Ranaut responded to Mishra’s remarks by defending him and turning Shah’s “dog” comparison back on him.
She wrote that she was proud to stand by the country where she lives and works, adding that she would rather be called a dog because of the animal’s loyalty than a fox.
“I'd rather be a dog than a lomdi (fox) like Naseeruddin.”
Ranaut also claimed that while Shah “eats” from this country, he “fights” for a neighbouring country.
Debate over Bollywood’s political silence
The exchange has widened the debate over how Bollywood personalities respond to student protests and other social and political issues.
What began with Shah’s criticism of the industry’s silence has now developed into a public disagreement involving two veteran actors, with Ranaut’s intervention adding a political dimension to the dispute.
