Days after blasting a police complaint lodged against 49 celebrities over an open letter they had written to PM Narendra Modi three months ago, actor Naseeruddin Shah said he stood by his statement and believes what he said was "needed to be said".
Shah was in conversation with actor-director Anand Tiwari at the 9th edition of India Film Project in Mumbai on Saturday.
"I just felt that what I said needed to be said. I stand by it. I faced a lot of abuse by people, who had nothing better to do. It doesn't affect me at all. But what is disturbing is this open hate," Shah said.
The veteran actor was referring to the new letter released on Monday, wherein over 180 personalities, including Shah and historian Romila Thapar, questioned how writing an open letter to the PM could amount to sedition.
When asked whether his views on socio-political climate in the country has affected his relationship within the film fraternity, Shah said, "I never had a close relationship with the industry in any case and I don't know whether that has affected my standing because I don't get offered very much work at the best of the times."
Last week, an FIR was filed in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur against many known personalities, including directors Aparna Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and writer-columnist Ramchandra Guha, for alleged sedition over a letter they wrote to the PM in July, voicing concern over growing incidents of mob lynching.
The Bihar police has ordered closure of the case and decided to prosecute the complainant for levelling "false" allegations, a top police official said.
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