&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Anupam Kher reacts to Naseeruddin Shah's resurfaced 'clown' video | Controversy explained")
Anupam Kher has recently reacted to a six-year-old video of Naseeruddin Shah after it resurfaced online amid the controversy surrounding Kher's remarks on the alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. He revealed the two actors have already patched up, and the renewed circulation of the clip is a deliberate attempt to target him.
Anupam Kher speaks about the resurfaced video
Kher shared a video on his social media to address both the trolling and the controversy with Shah. "A few days ago, I visited the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and spoke about my feelings. Some people didn't like what I said because it didn't fit their agenda. They wanted to create a narrative and started looking for ways to target and troll me, to abuse me. An entire ecosystem was formed just to attack me. They said many things about me, but I only enjoyed it more because they worked so hard. When they had nothing else, they dug up a six-year-old video of Naseeruddin Shah, hoping to damage my reputation." he said.
Anupam Kher says the feud is over
He also clarified that "In reality, Naseer and I have met, hugged each other and respect one another. People even told me to let the matter go because it had been eight or nine months, but they forgot that I had already responded to that video back then and expressed how I felt."
Reiterating that he would not be intimidated by criticism, the actor added, "I want to say this openly: whatever I have achieved, I have earned through my own hard work. I have risen from the ground up with my values, my dedication and by the grace of God and Lord Ram. What exactly are you trying to make me afraid of? You have spent your lives trapped in your own egos. Why are you threatened by my shadow? Keep doing what you want. I will continue to stand by the truth."
What's the controversy?
The buzz is around Kher's recent comments on the alleged theft of donations at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. During an interview, he said those responsible for any wrongdoing should be punished but described the alleged theft as a comparatively "minor" issue when compared to the destruction and looting of temples during the Mughal era.
His remarks faced mixed reactions on social media, and several users revisited the old interview.
What did Naseeruddin Shah say and Anupam Kher's response
In a 2020 interview, Shah was asked about film industry members who had publicly supported or criticised the government. Speaking about Kher, he 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."
Reacting to the remarks through a video, Kher said, "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."
He further added, "None of them has ever taken your statements seriously, as we all know that due to the substances you have been taking all these years, you don't realise the difference between what is right and what is wrong."
