In a recent interview, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah called his friend Anupam Kher a ‘clown’, while commenting on his ‘sycophantic nature’ and saying he doesn’t need to be taken seriously. The interview was in the context of the anti-CAA protests and Anupam’s vocal support for the BJP government. 

Now, Anupam has released a video responding to his A Wednesday co-star. 

“Respected Naseeruddin Shah Sahab, I watched the interview you gave about me. In it, you’ve spoken a few words of praise about me,” Anupam says in the video. “Although I have never spoken ill about you, I must say that you have spent your entire life in frustration, despite having achieved so much.”

He continues, “If you can criticise people like Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Shah Rukh Khan, and Virat Kohli, then I am sure I am in great company. In fact, none of these people have taken your statements seriously. Because we know that it’s not you, but the substances you’ve been consuming for years that have affected your sense of right and wrong. If saying a few bad things about me keeps you in the headlines, then this is my gift to you. May God keep you well.”