The Islamo-left icons of Indian cinema are ill at ease since BJP Government came to power in 2014. They want to refurbish their waning clout and undermine a popular government. A sizable section of cinema industry, which has its ideological mooring in Islamo-left movement, that began about eight decades back, still wants to retain its position of privilege.
With changing times, a discernible ideological shift is taking place in society and politics towards right of the centre. However, many in this industry want to arrest that change. Art and literature attempt to mould the society but when society changes art and literature have to cater to its needs and aspirations. Now cinema is moving in the direction of historical revisionism and nationalist narrative.
Nasiruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and their ilk are bound to be unhappy at this spectacle. Recent student unrest seemed to them to offer a chance to fish in the troubled waters. Shabana made use of her theatrics and Nasiruddin Shah used foul language along with theatrical gesture. They narrated excesses perpetrated on students and did not make any mention of dastardly activities of the lumpen element that made it incumbent on police to act. Kudos to the police force that they exercised exemplary restraint.
Progressive Writers Association
In order to understand the evolution of Indian cinema, of which stars Shabana and Nasiruddin Shah are, one needs go to the history of marriage that took place between Islam and left in 1936. This year, a movement that had been maturing for some years, took shape with the formation of Anjuman ‘Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind’ also called ‘The Progressive Writers’ Association’ or ‘Akhil Bhartiya Pragatishil Lekhak Sangh’. Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind (PWA) was inaugurated at Lucknow on April 10, 1936. This event was timed with the Lucknow session of the Congress from April 12 to April 14. Selection of Pandit Nehru as president in 1936 marked victory of the left wing of the Congress at a time when elections were to be held under the Government of India Act, 1935.
Syed Sajjad Jaheer, the moving spirit in the founding of Progressive Writers Association (PWA) was a close associate of Pandit Nehru. PWA was an organ of Communist Party of India. It was heavily dominated by Muslims. Sajjad Jaheer was Uttar Pradesh underground State Secretary of the CPI (as it was banned at this time). He assisted Pandit Nehru in the conduct of the Congress session as his right-hand man.
Indian People’s Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was created in 1943. Like PWA it was also an organ of the CPI, established as its cultural mass front. It was purportedly created to address the problem of poverty and caste discrimination. It was ideologically aligned with and received funds from Communist Party of Soviet Union. The PWA and IPTA have umbilical relations. Sajjad Zaheer and Kaifi Azmi, played foundational role in both and these were over represented by Muslims.
Many of those active in PWA and IPTA favoured creation of Pakistan and migrated to that country after independence. Entire family (five brothers and parents) of Kaifi Azmi migrated to Pakistan. He could not go with them because he was in hiding at that time. CPI at this was banned due to its involvement in violent uprisings like the Telangana Rebellion. He heartily longed to go to Pakistan as is clear from a poem he wrote in the 1940s titled “Agli Eid Pakistan Mein”.
After independence, he could not migrate because of repeated denial of visa by Pakistan Government to him in early years and after wards he got established as a writer of songs for films. In early years he got a stipend from Communist Party for maintenance. Sayyid Jaheer also chose to go to Pakistan. Sahir Ludhiyanwi of IPTA stayed in Pakistan till 1949 and then fled to India. Josh Malihabadi migrated to Pakistan in 1956 – despite Jawaharlal Nehru’s insistence against it. Syed Kamal- Actor, Director, and Producer- also left for Pakistan with his family in 1956. Intizar Husain migrated in 1947.
Family legacy of Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar became a part of PWA because of his family legacy. His father, Jan Nisar Akhtar (1914–1976) and mother Safia Akhtar were part of the Progressive Writers’ Movement. His maternal uncle, Asrar-ul-Haq (Majaz Lakhnavi), an Urdu poet, was also active in PWA. He was from a well to do family. His another maternal uncle, Ansar Harvani, was a left leaning Congress leader and remained member of Lok Sabha. His mother’s sister was first female graduate from Aligarh Muslim Univesity.
Javed Akhtar campaigned for CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar for Parliamentary Election in 2019.
Shabana Azmi and Nasiruddin Shah
Both Shabana Azmi, the daughter of card holder Communist Kaifi Azmi and Nasiruddin Shah are shining stars of Communist dominated IPTA. Naseeruddin Shah campaigned for his niece, Saira Shah Halim who contested for assembly in 1922 as CPI candidate in West Bengal. Shabana was awarded Padm Shri in 1988 in Congress regime and was nominated for Rajya Sabha in 1997. She talks in communistic language but is ensconced in the luxurious life of super rich with family assets worth hundreds of crors. Nasiruddin Shah was also given Padma Shri in 1997. Even Atal Bihari Government honoured him with Padma Bhushan.
Nasiruddin Shah was born in the Family of Nabab of Sardhana. Many members of his family migrated to Pakistan. His relatives in Pakistan include Mahboob Alam, former joint director and head of Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau in Sindh and Baluchistan, besides his brother Syed Kamal Shah.
He stated after Bulandshahr violence in the wake of cow killing in 2018 that he was scared for his kids. He said in a June 2024 interview with Karan Thapar for The Wire “I want to see PM Modi wear topi. This will give Muslims surety that he was not their enemy”, recalling Modiji’s refusal to wear skull cap in 2011.
Nasiruddin Shah criticised Government for the law regarding triple talaq. He supported Shaheenbagh, by supporting the anti-CAA demonstrations by visiting Bengaluru’s Bilal Bagh. He is not happy with films of the kinds of Bengal files stating it was disturbing that such films succeeded. He strongly criticized Wakf Bill.
When student agitation at Jantar-Mantar reached at its peak, he said “I am emotional and at the same time, my blood boils seeing how the youth are being tortured…Do give a thought about your children too and be aware of the consequences you would have to face eventually.” He went to the extent of calling Prime Minister Jahil, nakabil, nasamajh and beraham. He said in a video “Yah sab yaad Rakha jayega”. Shah said that he always had hope for the country’s youth, and now that hope has become even stronger. He criticized national leadership during student demonstrations, stating that an ignorant leader desires an incompetent and ruthless nation.
He compared every silent Bollywood actor to “a dog with a bone in its mouth that can’t bark,” accusing peers of prioritizing commercial self-interest over social issues.
These celebrities do not utter a word on filthy posters, filthy language used against the Police, Prime Minister and Education Minister by some protestors. These famed personalities keep mum on gratuitous violence against Police personnel. Cleary, freedom provided by democracy is being used to destroy democracy and these cinema stalwarts are banking on their erstwhile clout to influence the society.
