Kangana Ranaut Hits Back at Naseeruddin Shah, Says ‘Rather Be a Dog Than a Lomdi’

Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has hit back at veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah amid the ongoing debate over Bollywood's response to student protests.

Ranaut called Shah a “lomdi” (fox) and alleged that he “eats” the country's bread but “fights” for a neighbouring country.

Kangana shared a news report on social media featuring actor Piyush Mishra's recent remarks about Shah and his earlier “dog with a bone” comment. She accompanied it with a strongly worded post defending her own position and questioning Shah's commitment to India.

In her post, Kangana said that everyone is “someone's dog”, but added that she was proud to “guard and fight for” the country whose bread she eats. She alleged that Shah “eats the bread of this country, but fights for the neighbouring country.”

She further wrote that being called a dog could be considered a compliment because loyalty and cuteness are rare, adding that she would “rather be a dog than a lomdi like Nasiruddin.”

Shah’s ‘Dog With a Bone’ Remark

Kangana's latest comments stem from remarks made by Shah while discussing the silence of prominent Bollywood personalities over student protests.

Shah had questioned why A-list celebrities had not publicly spoken about the demonstrations, using the analogy of “a dog with a bone in its mouth” to describe their silence.

He had said that celebrities would speak when their conscience prompted them to, adding that once the “bone” dropped or broke their teeth, they would speak out.

Piyush Mishra Revives Shah’s Remark

Shah's comments were subsequently brought up by Piyush Mishra while speaking in support of students protesting in Ranchi over issues related to the Jharkhand Public Service Commission.

Mishra questioned which “dogs” with “bones in their mouths” were remaining silent over the JPSC protests, in an apparent reference to Shah's earlier analogy.

Kangana has previously criticised sections of the Gen Z-led student movement. She had objected to videos from protests in which some demonstrators allegedly used abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and later sparked controversy by referring to a section of youth as “Gutter chap.”