A war of words has erupted between veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and actor-singer Piyush Mishra, with BJP MP and actress Kangana Ranaut now weighing in on the controversy. After Mishra criticised Shah over his comments about Bollywood celebrities remaining silent during student protests, Kangana came out in support of Mishra and launched a sharp attack on the veteran actor.The controversy began after Naseeruddin took a dig at Bollywood’s silence over student protests, comparing the industry to “a dog with a bone in its mouth that cannot bark.” His remarks were later criticised by Piyush Mishra during an appearance at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi.Mishra questioned Naseeruddin’s own silence on the Jharkhand students’ protest and challenged the actor over his earlier remarks. Kangana has now joined the debate, referring to Naseeruddin as a “lomdi” while backing Mishra.Reacting to Mishra’s comments, Kangana wrote, “Sach toh yeh hai har koi kisi na kisi ka kutta hai, lekin mujhe iss baat ka garv hai ki main jis ghar (desh) ki roti khati hoon uski rakhwali karti hoon/ uske liye ladti hoon, Naseer Saab khaate toh iss desh ka hain lekin laḍte padosi desh keliye hain.”She further argued that being compared to a dog could actually be seen as a compliment because of the animal’s loyalty. “I’d rather be a dog than a lomdi (fox) like Naseeruddin,” added Kangana.Earlier, while speaking to the media during the Jharkhand student protest, Piyush Mishra directly addressed Naseeruddin’s earlier comments. He said, “Naseer Sahab, you had said during the CJP protest that some people from the film industry weren’t speaking up for the students protesting at Jantar Mantar. You said those who have bones in their mouths, they don’t speak. With all due respect, I would like to ask you, where are the other dogs who can’t speak?”Mishra also questioned the involvement of people who had participated in protests in Delhi and Mumbai over the NEET paper leak controversy. He alleged that some of them were more interested in comforts such as pizza and burgers than in standing alongside students who were fighting for their rights.While Piyush maintained that he continues to respect Naseeruddin Shah as an actor, he made it clear that he no longer feels intimidated by the veteran star.The latest exchange has added another layer to the ongoing debate over celebrities speaking out on social and political issues, with Kangana’s comments bringing a political dimension to the disagreement between the two veteran actors.
