DNA Edit: Cat among pigeons - Motivations of Naseer's outburst are far from clear

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has set the cat among the pigeons with his remarks on lynching. Why should an actor of his standing and caliber ensconced in Mumbai, feel this fear about his children being caught up by lynchers, is difficult to rationalise.

If an actor is apprehensive about isolated incidents of lynching, then he should criticize them whole heartedly, without any compunctions. Mobocracy needs to be condemned unequivocally and Naseer deserves compliments for not pulling punches. Personalizing the issue, as Aamir Khan earlier did, reveals a trend. Does a section of the acting fraternity, all influencers, believe in selective political messaging?

The same Naseer, who once said that he had never ever faced any discrimination on account of his birth, now sees things differently. It is a strange reaction from a man, who has never said anything political, even when his brother, a retired General and a former Dean of Aligarh Muslim University, has been loudly critical.

Earlier superstar Shah Rukh Khan had also talked of the scourge, leading to a huge outrage. That the Indian film industry holds a mirror to the rest of the society is well established. From time to time, actors have spoken their minds about subjects that they hold dear.

Presumably, Naseer’s outburst should be seen in the same light. It would be a sad day if such comments have come through one or the other kind of political motivation. Particularly, when such outbursts give a handle to our unfriendly neighbour or its new Prime Minister who wants to teach India about minorities.

Actors carry undue influence and are taken too seriously when they magnify problems without offering any solutions. Is this Naseer’s foray into politics or is he just politicking on somebody else’s behalf? Maybe, actors need to see real life and the impact of magnifying their unwarranted fears, every once in a while.