Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah on Saturday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while expressing solidarity with students of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), who are holding an indefinite sit-in over campus violence. He accused the party of seeking “revenge” against people who do not agree with its beliefs and policies.
In a video posted on Instagram, Shah alleged that SRFTI students had become the latest targets of the BJP’s vendetta following what he described as its “manipulative victory” in the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year.
Introducing himself in the video, Shah said the BJP was now targeting those who did not support its ideology and policies. He claimed that students aspiring to become filmmakers had faced show-cause notices, surveillance and threats after demanding accountability from the institute’s administration. He added that they had also been asked to vacate their hostels.
Criticising the party further, Shah alleged that the BJP was not satisfied with supporting and promoting propaganda in its favour. He claimed that it was now attempting to either influence or intimidate the country’s future filmmakers, adding that such efforts would not succeed.
The 76-year-old actor said young filmmakers would eventually tell the truth about themselves, the country and the situation it was facing. He concluded by urging citizens who believed in fairness to support the SRFTI students’ demands.
The students have been staging an indefinite protest outside Vice-Chancellor Santosh Ajmera’s office since October 12, demanding his resignation over incidents of violence on campus.
A confrontation broke out at the Kolkata-based institute on Sunday between students and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat (ABGP), a right-wing consumer organisation that had hired the institute’s main auditorium for an event. Both groups accused each other of initiating the violence.
In an official order issued on October 16, SRFTI suspended regular academic activities across its film, electronic and digital media faculties until November 13. The institute also directed students to vacate the premises within 24 hours.
Although the institute was scheduled to remain closed for its Puja vacation until October 21, 2026, the protesting students continued their sit-in. They maintained that security failures needed to be addressed and demanded action against those responsible for the violence.
Shah was most recently seen in director Imtiaz Ali’s romantic drama Main Vaapas Aaunga (2026), which features Diljit Dosanjh, Vedang Raina and Sharvari in prominent roles.
The veteran actor also appeared in the 2026 MX Player series Made in India: A Titan Story, portraying the late Indian entrepreneur JRD Tata.
