Nayantara Sahgal questions Bollywood's silence over backlash against Naseeruddin Shah's statement

Noted novelist Nayantara Sahgal questioned Bollywood's silence over the backlash faced by Naseeruddin Shah for his remarks against religious hatred and the Bulandshahr incident, at a Mumbai event on 29 January.

Nayantara Sahgal. Image via Twitter/@ISapnaMishra

Referring to the attack on Shah after he confessed to fearing for his children's safety in the India of today, especially because they had not been given any religious education, Sahgal said it was unfortunate that no one from the industry stood up for him.

"Mumbai is known for its film industry and we take pride in it. But why did the film industry not speak for a great actor? We are living in dangerous times, and if we remain silent, the regime will come upon us. The regime wants us to turn into a Hindu Rashtra, but we are a multi-culture civilisation and that is our uniqueness," she was quoted as saying in a Mumbai Mirror report.

Several artists had gathered in Mumbai to honour Sahgal after she was not allowed to inaugurate the 92nd Marathi Sahitya Sammelan in Yavatmal after receiving threats from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers. Among the attendees were TM Krishna, Amol Palekar, Jayant Pawar and Bhalchandra Nemade, who aimed to form a platform against the oppression of freedom of expression.