Naseeruddin Shah compares Bollywood to Nazi Germany: ‘Big budget films cannot disguise the jingoistic agenda’

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Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has compared Bollywood to Nazi Germany by claiming that the recently released “big-budget movies” by big production houses had a “jingoistic” agenda.

Speaking to NDTV on Monday (13 September), the veteran actor asserted that production houses are being “encouraged by the government to make pro-government films”.

“They [are] also being financed, [in addition to being] promised a clean chit if they make movies which are propaganda, to put it bluntly,” the 71-year-old actor said.

“You will find the biggest guys giving in to this. In Nazi Germany also this was attempted,” he added. “Filmmakers who were outstanding, world-class, were rounded up and asked to make films propagating the Nazi philosophy.”

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen star said that he did not have any definitive proof to support his claims but that it was “obvious” with the “kind of big-budget films” being put out lately.

“The kind of big-budget films that are coming, the big ones cannot disguise the jingoistic agenda,” he said.

Earlier this month, Shah also called out “sections of Indian Muslims” who are celebrating the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, saying it’s “dangerous”.

In a video message on Twitter, the 71-year-old actor said: “The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan is a cause of concern for the whole world. However, the celebration of the barbarians by some sections of Indian Muslims is no less dangerous.”