Indians being brainwashed against Pakistan, says Naseeruddin Shah

In a recent interview to an Indian website Bollywood Hungama, he insisted that it was very important to have a person-to-person contact.

We can’t, he added, afford to be swayed by all the political rhetorics. Politicians will change colours whenever it suits them.

Shah openly expressed that, “Indians are being brainwashed into believing Pakistan to be the enemy country without being aware of the historical background.”

He told that it was tragic that often-times performers from Pakistan are prevented from performing in India. “Recently, there was a very disturbing instance of a Pakistani artiste’s work being destroyed in Ahmedabad. But they welcome us in Pakistan with open arms,” acknowledged Shah.

To another question, he said the tragedy of the political divide between the two countries is symbolical. It should go. That would never happen until we travel to Pakistan more often and interact with the local people. There is a great deal of curiosity and admiration in Pakistan for what India has achieved, he underlined.

He said Dilip Kumar is like God in Pakistan. “They don’t adore any of their own cultural icons much as they adore Mr. Dilip Kumar.”