Paresh Rawal says he'll listen to Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan's criticism of govt: ‘They have no special agenda, no axe to grind'
Paresh Rawal is a former Member of Parliament under the Bhartiya Janata Party. But the actor doesn't mind his colleagues from the Hindi film industry voice their criticism against the ruling party. He said celebrities like Naseeruddin Shah, Aamir Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan are devoid of any 'hidden agenda.'
'If Naseer bhai, Aamir or Shah Rukh have something to say, I can't discard that. I'll listen to them because they have no hidden agenda, they have no axe to grind. They're saying it for my own benefit. So I'll listen, introspect, and try to improve. It doesn't make a difference. I respect them, they love me,' said Paresh.
In the interview with The Lallantop, Paresh Rawal hailed Naseeruddin Shah as one of the few in the Hindi film industry who say whatever is in their heart. 'You feel very safe and satisfied around people like these. Otherwise you can't keep looking over your shoulder again and again,' added Paresh.
In an interview with The Lallantop last year, Naseeruddin's wife Ratna Pathak Shah also opened up on their lasting personal and professional equation with Paresh despite differing political ideologies. 'We're all from a time when political beliefs didn't come in the way of interpersonal relationships. This is a more recent trend. But as long as I'm around, I won't let that happen. Nor would I let it happen to the ones I love,' said Ratna, who has starred with Paresh in films like Jaane Tu Ya Jane Naa and Hum Do Humare Do.
Naseeruddin Shah has been a vocal critic of the BJP -led government, particularly in terms of the discrimination against Muslims. Paresh considers Naseeruddin as his idol. He has also directed the veteran actor on stage in the play, The Sleuth. Naseeruddin returned the favour when he cast Paresh in his 2006 directorial debut Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota. They've also shared screen space in Mahesh Bhatt's 1993 relationship drama Sir.
Aamir Khan famously expressed his concern about religious intolerance in 2015, confessing that he's been contemplating leaving the country so that his younger son Azad has a safe upbringing. Paresh has worked with Aamir in films like Rajkumar Santoshi's 1994 cult comedy Andaz Apna Apna and Mansoor Khan's relationship drama Akele Hum Akele Tum.
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Time of India
an hour ago
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Time of India
an hour ago
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and AAP Paalak Union issued a statement, saying, "There was no logical reason behind the insistence on imposing a third language in Std I when children already have the burden of English besides their mother tongue. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Govt issued this order surreptitiously through wordplay, without any insistence from parents or teachers. The public sentiment was that this was politics to undermine Marathi, the mother tongue in Maharashtra, by giving it secondary status and bringing Hindi forward as a transactional language, thus attacking diversity. " AAP's Mukund Kirdat said, "There was no reason to change the existing three-language formula starting at the secondary level. The opposition was not against Hindi or a third language but against its implementation from Std I." Chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, Madhav Suryawanshi, said, "While CM has announced cancellation of the GR, considering past experience, we cannot trust this declaration till a notification is issued. Earlier, despite CM and the education minister publicly stating that three languages would not be made compulsory from Std I, govt still implemented the same decision. Until an order is issued stating that the decision stands cancelled, govt's stance cannot be trusted. Govt should issue that order." Pune: Several educators in the state on Sunday reiterated that govt's decision on the three-language policy announced earlier in June was taken in haste and without consultation with experts, leading to complete chaos that resulted in the resolution being revoked. Many asserted that the widespread opposition to the policy was not against the Hindi language, but its introduction from Std I. On Sunday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a committee to suggest the way forward in the implementation of the language policy and withdrew GRs issued in April and June this year, which had introduced Hindi learning as a must from a much younger age in school. In a reaction statement, the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal said, "There is hope he (Fadnavis) will continue to take decisions in the interest of Marathi in future, too." Mahendra Ganpule, former vice president, State Headmasters' Association, said, "There is no ill feeling against the third language or Hindi. But there was opposition to the wrong policy of implementing it from Std I without considering child psychology. We will present all our points in detail again before the committee and try to ensure that the right decision is taken in the interest of children." The parent of a Std III student from Kothrud, Shilpa Kulkarni, said Sunday's decision has put an end to ongoing confusion. 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The opposition was not against Hindi or a third language but against its implementation from Std I." Chief coordinator of Shikshan Vikas Manch, Madhav Suryawanshi, said, "While CM has announced cancellation of the GR, considering past experience, we cannot trust this declaration till a notification is issued. Earlier, despite CM and the education minister publicly stating that three languages would not be made compulsory from Std I, govt still implemented the same decision. Until an order is issued stating that the decision stands cancelled, govt's stance cannot be trusted. Govt should issue that order."
