Indian legend Naseeruddin Shah questions Bollywood's silence on student protests

Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has questioned why many of Bollywood's biggest names have remained silent on the student protests over education reforms, saying some people speak up only after it no longer costs them anything. 

Speaking to The Wire, a media outlet based on Delhi, Shah was asked why many leading actors had not commented publicly on the demonstrations, which have spread across India over the past week.

"They will do it when their conscience tells them to," Shah said. "There is a saying: a dog with a bone in its mouth can't bark. As soon as the bone drops out of their mouth, or it breaks their teeth, then they will bark."

When asked whether celebrities were staying silent because they benefited from doing so, Shah replied, "Absolutely. And how long can they do that? Time will tell."

Shah had voiced support for the protesters a day earlier in a video message, condemning what he described as the treatment of students by authorities.

"I want to tell all these children not to lose hope," he said. "Many people sympathise with you. Many people are with you. Keep fighting."

He ended the message with the words, "Sab yaad rakha jayega" ("Everything shall be remembered"), directed at the government.

Several figures from India's film industry, including Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Dia Mirza, Swara Bhasker, Prakash Raj, Diljit Dosanjh and Vir Das, have also expressed support for the protests.

The demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi gathered momentum after educator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike.

Protesters are seeking talks with the central government and have called for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other alleged irregularities in the examination process.