In a recent interview, renowned actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui expressed his admiration for the Bollywood industry’s inclusive nature, highlighting how it stands as a model of religious harmony for society. During a podcast episode of “Unplugged,” Siddiqui praised the film industry for respecting all religions and cited the relationship between actors Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah as an example.
“The rest of society should learn from Bollywood… Do you know that Anupam Kher respects Naseeruddin Shah a lot as far as acting is concerned?” Siddiqui remarked, underscoring the mutual respect shared among actors of different religious backgrounds.
Source : India Today
Siddiqui shared his personal experiences, emphasizing the love and respect he receives from people across India, regardless of their religious beliefs. “I’m a part of this industry. My country is beautiful. The love and respect I get here, I wouldn’t get anywhere else. I’m overjoyed to be among common people because of the love they shower on me, regardless of their own background. You wouldn’t see this anywhere else in the world. I’ve traveled to the interiors of our country; I don’t know what they show in the news, but the people of our country are beautiful, they’re innocent,” he added.
Source:- BBC news
The actor’s comments come amidst growing concerns about religious polarization in India. In April, actress Vidya Balan also touched upon this issue, noting that India did not have a strong religious identity in the past but has become more polarized, partly due to social media. During an appearance on “Unfiltered by Samdish,” she said, “I just feel that we are definitely more polarized. I think, as a nation, we did not have a religious identity before but now, I don’t know why this… it’s not just politics, it is also social media. Because we are all lost in this world and looking for an identity, which we don’t have organically. We are looking for things to attach ourselves to. That’s what I genuinely feel.”
Balan also criticized the trend of people forming opinions on topics they are not well-informed about. “A lot of times I see that people have opinions on things that they do not know anything about. How is that possible? People don’t watch films and comment on it. They do not know what the issue at hand is. I was out promoting a film called ‘Kahaani 2’ when demonetization happened and every journalist had asked me about it. I did not know anything about it. To date, I do not know what demonetization is besides the fact that they revoked Rs 1000 notes overnight. I think everyone wants to give an opinion without having an opinion,” she added.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s remarks serve as a reminder of the Bollywood industry’s role as a beacon of religious tolerance and unity, offering a hopeful perspective amidst ongoing societal challenges
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