Naseeruddin Shah condemns Bollywood films that celebrate hyper masculinity and debase women, says, “It’s very terrifying”

Naseeruddin Shah has been a prominent part of Indian Film industry for over 5 decades. The actor has impressed us everytime he appears on screen and is relevant to date. He recently grabbed attention after her spoke about current state of Bollywood at Kerala Literature Festival 2025. Naseeruddin Shah admits doing movies just for sake of money and slams Bollywood for promoting masculinity and belittling women.

Naseeruddin Shah on doing films for money

During the discussion at festival, Shah highlighted the role of cinema as a mirror to society. He said, “The really important function of cinema is to act as a record of its times. Those are the most valuable films because these films will be seen 100 years later. If 100 years later, people want to know what India of 2025 was like, and they find a Bollywood film, that would be a big tragedy.”

The actor also admitted doing films for money. He stated, “I have also done some movies which I did only for the money, that’s the simple truth. I don’t think that one needs to ashamed of working for money, I mean what do we all do? But those are jobs I regret. Fortunately, people don’t remember the bad work you did. As an actor, they only remember the good things you did.”

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Naseeruddin Shah on promotion on hyper masculinity in cinema

When Parvathy asked Shah about the rise of hyper-masculinity in mainstream cinema, he was quick to condemn it. “I do not approve of films that celebrate masculinity and run down the femininity of the characters. Films which debase women,” he said.

He added, “I don’t know if it’s a reflection of our society or if it is a reflection of the fantasies of our society. I think the films which feed into the secret fantasies of men, who in their heart of hearts, look down on women, these are being fed. It’s actually very scary to see how much approval such films get from the common viewer. It’s very terrifying, and it does explain the horrendous things that happen to women in a lot of places in our country.”

Naseeruddin Shah’s upcoming projects include Ul Jalool Ishq. In 2024 he received immense praise for his stint in IC 814. He was last seen in the 2025 movie Fateh with Sonu Sood.

Also Read: IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack teaser: Vijay Varma, Nasseeruddin Shah promise a thrilling series on a true event