Anupam Kher says was 'hurt' by comments from Naseeruddin Shah, keen to bury the hatchet

Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher, apart from being considered among the best actors of the industry, have also been friends for decades. The veterans have done numerous films together, and the duo trying to outwit each other in A Wednesday is one of the highlights of their careers. Something on similar lines played out when they took on each other over support to the government amid the controversy over the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

READ: 'Frustration & External Substances': Anupam Kher Hammers Naseeruddin Shah For 'clown' Jibe

Naseeruddin Shah had called Anupam Kher a ‘clown’ for supporting the government while the latter hit back at him for the first time, calling out the former’s ‘frustration’ and even accusing him of ‘using substances.’ In a recent interview with an entertainment portal, Kher opened up on the tiff with Shah and the crumbling of their equation over the years. 

The veteran shared that he felt ‘sad’ over what happened with Shah and added that it was understandable, considering the time that they spent together. The DDLJ star said that something like this did not just happen with co-stars, but also with relatives and best friends and it was the ‘tragedy of life’ that people move on to ‘different things.’

 Kher also said in the interview that he remembers the times he’s spent with Shah, learning from his senior at drama school (National School of Drama) and had nothing against Shah in his heart. Kher also said that he is keen to meet him and give him a ‘nice warm hug’, adding that life was ‘too short’ for ‘prejudices.’

READ: Did You Know 'Badhaai Ho' Fame Surekha Sikri Is Naseeruddin Shah's Former Sister-in-law?

The 65-year-old also said that he was ‘hurt’ by Naseeruddin Shah’s comments, and gave a response that he felt was ‘appropriate’ at that time. However, now he felt that it was important to ‘move on’, as he believed that keeping grudges affects our own health.

What happened?

For the unversed, as the industry stood divided over the passing of the CAA, Shah, known to be a critic of the government, had called Kher, a vocal supporter of the government, a ‘clown’ and that he should not ‘be taken seriously.’ The Masoom actor even said that their friends at NSD and FTII will attest to his ‘psychopathic nature.’

Kher then posted a video and had a sarcastic and stinging response:

"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.

"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, If by saying bad about me gives you the publicity for 2-3 days, then I wish you this happiness. 

"And do you know what is there in my blood? Hindustan. Just understand this."

READ:Naseeruddin Shah: I Never Detected An Iota Of Self-doubt In Irrfan Khan

READ:Naseeruddin Shah Rubbishes Rumours On Health, Says 'I'm Fine, Observing The Lockdown'