Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has publicly criticised Mumbai University after being disinvited at the last moment from an event he was invited to speak at, calling the decision “insulting,” “dishonest,” and a sign of a shrinking space for free expression in the country. The event in question — the Jashn-e-Urdu programme organised by the university’s Urdu department — was scheduled for February 1, but Shah says he was informed late on the night of January 31 that he “needn’t attend,” with **no explanation or apology provided.”
Adding to his disappointment, he says the university then told the audience that he had refused to attend — a claim he firmly rejected. Shah wrote an opinion piece titled “When a university speaks power to truth” saying the decision may have been influenced by his public criticism of the political climate and leadership.
In the article, Shah strongly defended his record, challenging anyone to point to a statement where he had spoken “against the country,” and emphasised that engaging with students had been one of his most rewarding experiences over a four-decade-long career. He said he had often spoken up about issues that concern him — including the treatment of dissenters, civic life, and what he sees as a growing culture of intolerance — but denied these amounted to disloyalty.
Shah added a striking remark: “This is not the country I grew up in and was taught to love,” suggesting a sense of unease with what he describes as “thought police,” surveillance and a climate where dissenting voices are increasingly marginalised.
The controversy has sparked broader discussions about academic freedom, artistic expression and the role of public institutions in moderating discourse. University officials have offered differing accounts, with some suggesting organisational confusion around invitations, while supporters of Shah argue the actor was unfairly targeted for his outspoken views.
