Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah shares a message for those ‘celebrating Taliban’s return’

‘The celebration of the barbarians by some sections of Indian Muslims is no less dangerous,’ actor says

File image: Naseeruddin Shah attends the book launch of ‘The Village of Pointless Conversation’ in 2016 (AFP via Getty Images)

Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah has called out “sections of Indian Muslims” who are celebrating the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, saying it’s “dangerous”.

In a video message on Twitter, the 71-year-old actor said: “The Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan is a cause of concern for the whole world. However, the celebration of the barbarians by some sections of Indian Muslims is no less dangerous,” he said.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen actor also stated that those who are celebrating the Taliban should question whether “they want a reformed, modern Islam (jiddat pasandi modernity), or live with the old barbarism (vaishipan) of the past few centuries”.

The Uttar Pradesh-born actor additionally discussed his relationship with God and revealed that he personally doesn’t need a “political religion”.

“May God not bring a time when it changes so much that we cannot even recognise it,” he said in Hindi.

He added: “I am an Indian Muslim, and as Mirza Ghalib said years ago, my relationship with God is informal. I don’t need a political religion.”

On 15 August, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and officially declared it an “Islamic Emirate” after president Ashraf Ghani fled to Tajikistan.

The operation swiftly followed the withdrawal of American troops from the country last month at the order of Joe Biden.