Manoj Tiwari slams Naseeruddin Shah's criticism of The Kerala Story: calls it a 'dangerous trend'

Manoj Tiwari reacts to Naseeruddin Shah's take on The Kerala Story. He said the actor's statement was "not good as an Indian and as a human being".

Actor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Tiwari slammed veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah for his criticism of The Kerala Story. Reacting to the film's theatrical success, Naseeruddin called it a "dangerous trend". Tiwari said in an interview that films like The Kerala Story are based on facts. He said if Naseeruddin Shah has a problem with it, he can go to court.

Manoj Tiwari said in Hindi, "He is a good actor but Naseeruddin ki niyat achi nahi hai (his intention is not right). I say this with a heavy heart. When films were made showing a guy sitting in a shop and making remarks about a woman Naseer sahab (Naseeruddin) had nothing to say. He is very easy to talk to. The way he identified himself is not good as an Indian and as a human being."

In an earlier interview, Naseeruddin Shah said, "For what it's worth, films like Bheed, Afwaah, Faraaz, all three flopped. Nobody went to see them, but people are flocking to see Kerala Story, which I haven't seen and I haven't. intending to see it because I've read enough about it."

He added: “On the one hand, this is undoubtedly a dangerous trend. We seem to be heading towards Nazi Germany, where in Hitler's time filmmakers were co-opted, they tried to be co-opted by the supreme leader to make films praising him and what he did for his countrymen, and the Jewish community is running."

While celebrities like Kangana Ranaut, Ram Gopal Varma, Vivek Agnihotri and others have come out in support of The Kerala Story, several, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, have expressed their displeasure with the film. The film was also banned by the West Bengal government. After the producers filed cases, the Supreme Court recently asked the state government to lift the ban on the film.