The long-standing professional rivalry and personal friction between two stalwarts of Indian cinema, Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah, has once again captured public attention. The embers of their 2020 public fallout were reignited when Anupam Kher chose to revisit the contentious episode during a recent conversation.
The Genesis of the Disagreement
The root of their public spat traces back to 2020, during the heightened controversy surrounding Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone's visit to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). At the time, Naseeruddin Shah praised Deepika Padukone for her courage, noting she would likely lose endorsements but had taken a significant step. He then turned his criticism towards Anupam Kher, who was vocal in his pro-government stance. Shah's comments were particularly sharp, as he stated, "Someone like Anupam Kher has been very vocal. I don't think he needs to be taken seriously. He's a clown... It's in his blood, he can't help it."
Kher did not take these comments lightly. He issued a sharp rebuttal via a video on his Twitter account. In his response, he accused Shah of living a life of frustration despite his success. Kher defended his own position by aligning himself with other icons Shah had criticized, including Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Shah Rukh Khan, and Virat Kohli, remarking that he was in "great company." He also suggested that Shah's judgment was clouded by "substances."
Kher's Latest Reflections: Respect Amidst Bitterness
In a fresh conversation with host Samdish Bhatia, Anupam Kher opened up about his complex feelings towards his former colleague. He expressed a paradoxical mix of admiration and hurt. "I still feel that I have a great respect for him," Kher stated, before adding a critical observation, "I think he sometimes has a loose talk conversation about me."
Kher revealed a personal moment between them, recalling that when they met, Shah had asked for a hug. This highlights the underlying personal history that contrasts with their public disagreements. Kher's admiration for Shah's professional stature remains undimmed, as he lavished praise on his colleague's contribution to parallel cinema. "There is no bigger star in parallel cinema than him, no one," Kher affirmed, mentioning that his own generation came to the movies inspired by Shah.
However, Kher hinted at a pattern of behavior from Shah that extends beyond their own rift. He suggested that Shah possesses a inherent bitterness, stating, "I think there is some kind of bitterness or what. Sometimes I become the victim, sometimes Dilip sir becomes the victim, sometimes Rajesh Khanna becomes the victim." This comment positions their feud not as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader tendency from the veteran actor.
The Unresolved Tension and Legacy
The professional paths of these two actors have been intertwined for decades, with their last collaboration being in Neeraj Pandey's 2018 film Aiyaary. Their current dynamic, as described by Kher, is one of uneasy respect, a relationship strained by public criticism and differing political and ideological stands.
This episode underscores a larger narrative within the Indian film industry, where personal relationships are often tested by public personas and political leanings. The clash between Kher and Shah is more than a personal dispute; it reflects the deep ideological divisions that sometimes surface in Bollywood, especially concerning political and social issues like the JNU event. For their fans and industry watchers, the saga continues to be a poignant example of how respect and rivalry can coexist in the complex world of cinema.
