Mumbai: Actor Sushant Singh is not worried about the silence of big stars from the film industry on student protests against Citizenship Amendment Act as he believes revolution is always driven by the youth and common people.
Sushant, who is known to be vocal on issues such as #MeToo and now the anti-CAA protests, had taken to streets to participate in the protests. He later hinted that his views may have cost him his hosting gig in a TV channel.
The actor said staying silent was not an option for him even if it came at a cost but he understands why many in Bollywood have not spoke up.
“These issues do not affect rich people, I also belong to this category. Onion prices don’t affect us, we don’t have to think twice before buying anything. That is why I think we don’t pay attention to it. There could be differences of ideologies as well.
“Maybe people who are not speaking about it, they don’t have any issues with it. Why should we wait for someone to speak up? In which country stars have brought revolution? It is only the youth or the common man,” Sushant said.
The actor, who played freedom fighter Sukhdev in ‘The Legend of Bhagat Singh, said he felt compelled to speak up for the sake of his children.
“If I feel it is the right issue as a father or citizen. It is my responsibility to stand with them because tomorrow I am answerable to my kids. I abhor the previous generation for the kind of society they have given us. They only cared about their home. There are protests against ‘Padmaavat’ but not against issues which are affecting daily life.”
Sushant said as a student, he too was disillusioned with the government of that time and took to streets but that did not result in the kind of crackdown that the police did on the students of Jamila Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.
The actor said he was impressed with the way students country over came out in support of the two varsities.
“I have always felt that as Indians, our conscience is dead. We don’t get angry at anything, do whatever with us, unless Nirbhaya is killed or an incident like Hyderabad happens only to retreat in our shell. I thought we were dead but I have regained my faith due to these students.”
PTI