Kangana Ranaut: 'I'd Rather Be A Dog Than...'

Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has retaliated against Naseeruddin Shah's 'dog with a bone' comment, declaring her preference to be a loyal 'dog' over a 'lomdi' (fox) like Shah amidst an escalating war of words.

Actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has backed actor Piyush Mishra in his criticism of Naseeruddin Shah, escalating a war of words that began over the latter's comments on Bollywood celebrities' silence during student protests in Delhi.

Ranaut shared a news report about Mishra's recent remarks on her Instagram Stories and took a direct swipe at Shah.

Kangana's Response to Shah's 'Dog' Remark

Referring to Naseer's comparison of a few celebrities to 'a dog with a bone in its mouth that cannot bark', Ranaut wrote, 'Sach toh yeh hai har koi kisi na kisi ka kutta hai, lekin mujhe iss baat ka garv hai ki main jis ghar (desh) ki roti khaati hoon uski rakhwali karti hoon/uske liye ladti hoon, Nasir Saab khaate toh iss desh ka hain lekin ladte padose desh keliye hain.'

Ranaut further defended the comparison with a dog, writing, 'PS In today's time it's a compliment for humans to be called a dog because loyalty and cuteness is so rare. I'd rather be a dog than a lomdi like Nasiruddin.'

'Forgive me, Naseersaab, I respect you greatly, but I no longer feel like being afraid of you'

Piyush Mishra criticised Naseeruddin Shah during the protests over the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) paper leak. Mishra questioned Shah's earlier remarks about Bollywood's silence during student demonstrations and raised the issue of the ongoing student unrest in Jharkhand.

'During the CJP protests, Naseersaab remarked that the film industry wasn't speaking up during that agitation. He said, 'Those who have bones in their mouths cannot speak.' Please forgive me, Naseersaab, I say this with the utmost respect, but I would like to ask: Who are the 'dogs' with bones in their mouths right now?' Mishra said.

'The difference between student protests that took place here and ones that took place in Delhi and Mumbai, is that these people didn't eat pizza or burgers. They ate dal-bhaat while waging their struggle. Did you people stay silent simply because you were craving pizza and burgers, or because of the specific crowd you were part of? Forgive me, Naseersaab, I respect you greatly, but I no longer feel like being afraid of you.'

Watch his interview below:

Naseeruddin Shah had said in an interview with The Wire web site, 'They'll do it when their conscience tells them to. There's a saying: A dog with a bone in its mouth can't bark. As soon as the bone drops out of their mouth, or it breaks their teeth, then they will bark.'

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff