'A dog cannot bark with a bone in its mouth': Naseeruddin Shah takes a dig at Bollywood's silence

'A dog cannot bark with a bone in its mouth': Naseeruddin Shah takes a dig at Bollywood's silence

Published: 01:33 24 July 2026

In addition to protesting the police lathicharge on protesting students at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has expressed his anger over the silence of influential Bollywood stars. He has harshly criticized his fellow actors for not speaking out against injustice.

In an exclusive interview with Indian media outlet 'The Wire', Naseeruddin Shah said that Bollywood's big stars are playing a silent role in this important ongoing issue. Referring to a proverb in this regard, he said, "A dog cannot bark with a bone in its mouth. Whenever the bone falls out of its mouth or its teeth break, it will start barking only then."

Asked whether the stars are taking special benefits in exchange for their silence, he said, "They are definitely being taken advantage of, but time will tell how long they will keep themselves in this state." Earlier, in a video message, he also strongly criticized the role of masked police officers who attacked the country's leadership and students.

It is worth noting that the movement, called by the 'Cockroach Janata Party' (CJP) and social activist Sonam Wangchuk, has created a stir across the country, demanding a radical change in the education system and the leakage of the NEET exam question paper. Along with the veteran actor, stars like Alia Bhatt, Salman Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Shabana Azmi have also expressed their support for the students' demands.

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