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.