WATCH | Anupam Kher Breaks Silence On Resurfaced Video Of Naseeruddin Shah Calling Him 'Sycophant, Clown' Amid Ram Mandir Theft Remark Row

Since this morning, an old video of Nasseeruddin Shah calling Anupam Kher a ‘sycophantic clown’ over his political views has flooded social media. Netizens have been resharing the post and the Saaransh actor's reply to it in large numbers. This came after the 71-year-old actor's recent remarks about the Ram Mandir theft case courted controversy.

Hours after the old video resurfaced and went viral again, Anupam Kher took to his social media to issue a clarification. Reaffirming his beliefs and standing by his old remark, the actor mentioned that he is not scared by any amount of trolling. Calling himself a ‘self-made’ star, Kher stressed that recirculating old videos is just another attempt to malign his reputation.

In the new video shared on the evening of July 13, Kher, who is currently shooting for a film in Ayodhya, shared, “Inhone Naseeruddin Shah sahab ji ka 6 saal puraana video wapas daala. Actual situation mein Naseer sahab aur main gale lag chuke hain, ek dusre ki izzat karte hain, unhone bhi kaha ki iss baat ko jaane dete hain. Iss baat ko bhi 7-8 mahine ho gaye. Woh log bhool gaye maine uss video mein bhi jawaab diya tha, jo uss samay mujhe laga tha. Mujhe laga ki main national mudda ban gaya hun." (These people recirculated 6 year old video of Naseeruddin Shah. In reality, both of us have hugged it out and have deep respect for each other. We decided to forget about the words we exchanged. They also forgot that at the time I had replied to the video, as I saw fit. Again it has resurfaced and I felt like I have become a national issue.).

He added, “Main jo kuch bhi bana chahta hun ki main jo kuch bhi bana hun apne bal boote pe bana hun. Main aone poore sanskaar ko leke iss mukaam pe pahocha hun. Toh mujhe aap kya daraoge. Aap karte rahiye, main toh satya ka saath dunga.” He added that being in Ayodhya has given him added strength and energy to speak the truth. He also asserted that it has taken 500 years to build the Ram temple and ‘some people’ are still looking for ‘new angles’ over it.

Anupam Kher shared the post with the caption, “People are most afraid of the truth when it doesn't align with their agenda. A few days ago, what I said about the theft at Ram Mandir, I said it with complete honesty and responsibility. Even today, I stand by every word of mine. But some people need an issue more than the truth. They want debate, controversy, noise. That's why the matter was twisted and presented. I just want to say this: I was never scared before, I'm not scared today, and I won't be scared in the future. Be it trolls, so-called influencers, or leaders! No one's noise will change my stance. Whatever I believe is right, that's what I'll say. Whether you agree or disagree, that's your right. But speaking the truth is my right as well as my duty. The rest… whoever wants to do whatever, let them do it. I'll remain just as I am. Jai Shri Ram!”

Also Read: Prabhas' Fauzi, A Movie In Spotlight Over Controversies 

Why is Anupam Kher vs Naseeruddin Shah old feud making headlines again 

It all started when Kher stirred a social media storm with his latest comment on the Ram Mandir donation theft. Speaking to a media publication, the actor called the issue ‘minor’, especially pitting it against the large-scale loot at the temples during the Mughal era. He also argued that a theft should be seen as a crime driven by greed, without adding any religious affiliations to it.

This prompted social media outrage against the actor after which he shared another cryptic post. This is when netizens dug out the 2020 video of Naseeruddin Shah calling Kher a ‘clown’. At the time, he had said, "Someone like Anupam Kher is very vocal. I don't think he needs to be taken seriously. He is a clown. Any number of his contemporaries from NSD and FTII can attest to his sycophantic nature. It's in his blood. He can't help it."

Kher had responded to Shah's comment days later via a social media post in which he shared, “Though I have never said anything bad about you, but now I will. You have spent your entire life in frustration, despite achieving so much. If you can criticise Dilip Kumar sahab, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli, then I’m sure I’m in great company." The matter resurfaced today because Anupam Kher had reshared the video on his X (formerly Twitter) account.