Nana Patekar questions Naseeruddin Shah’s comments on The Kashmir Files, defends Gadar 2: ‘What nationalism means to him?’

Actor Nana Patekar has reacted to Naseeruddin Shah's latest comment on films like The Kashmir Files, Gadar 2 and The Kerala Story being harmful.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | September 14, 2023 01:59 PM IST

2 min read

Nana Patekar Naseeruddin Shah The Kashmir Files

Nana Patekar reacted to Naseeruddin Shah's comment on popularity of films like The Kashmir Files. (Pic: Amit Chakravarty(left), Nana/Twitter)

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Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah recently made headlines when he expressed his concern about the popularity of jingoistic films like Vivek Agnihotri’s The Kashmir Files, Sudipto Sen’s The Kerala Story, and Anil Sharma’s Gadar 2, referring to them as “harmful.” Now, Nana Patekar, another veteran actor who is set to headline Vivek Agnihotri’s upcoming film The Vaccine War, has responded to Shah’s recent statement.

In an interview with ETimes, when Patekar was asked for his perspective on Shah’s comments, he responded with a question of his own, saying, “Did you ask Naseer what nationalism means to him?” He further emphasised that in his view, expressing love for one’s nation is a form of nationalism, and he doesn’t consider it a negative thing.

Also read | Nana Patekar calls recent hit films ‘ghinoni’: ‘I could not even sit through it; makers are forcing people to…’

Patekar proceeded to defend Gadar 2 but refrained from commenting on The Kerala Story as he hadn’t seen the film. He stressed on the importance of adhering to facts when making a film based on real-life events. He also pointed out that it’s not ethical for filmmakers to exploit the theme of nationalism solely for financial gain.

Nana Patekar plays the lead role in The Vaccine War, a film centered around the contributions of Dr Balram Bhargava, the leader of the team responsible for developing Covaxin during the Covid-19 pandemic. Directed by Vivek Agnihotri, the film highlights India’s efforts in the race to create a Covid-19 vaccine. Anupam Kher and Kantara star Sapthami Gowda also feature in the cast. The Vaccine War is scheduled for release on September 28th.

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