Naseeruddin Shah draws ire for claiming Sindhi 'no longer spoken in Pakistan'

In a recent interview with Anmol Jamwal on the Tried&Refused Productions' YouTube channel, renowned Indian cinema actor Naseeruddin Shah opened up about a variety of topics, including the portrayal of the Mughal Empire in contemporary times, his role in Taj: Divided by Blood on ZEE5, his love for Urdu, acting influences, and what the future holds.

However, the veteran actor found himself in hot water after making a comment that inadvertently downplayed the presence of the Sindhi language in Pakistan. During the interview, Shah passionately spoke about the significance of preserving the Urdu language as a part of Indian history. However, in his enthusiasm, he misspoke when he claimed that no one speaks Sindhi in Pakistan anymore.

Jamwal questioned Shah about the "negative rhetoric" around Urdu and the lack of education in India regarding its origin. "I believe in some universities, it is actually classified as a foreign language," began Shah. He went on to point out how this was "absurd." He then stated, "I ask my students, 'Can you name another country in the world where Urdu is spoken?' Apart from Pakistan? Where there are hundreds of other languages. In fact, Punjabi is spoken more widely than Urdu. Then they have Balochi, they have Dari, they have Seraiki, and they have Pashto. Sindhi, of course, is no longer spoken in Pakistan."

Uncorrected, Shah continued on to shed light on the importance of Indians recognising Urdu as their own language, while also fully fathoming the influence of older languages on the ones locally spoken in the subcontinent. Reacting to the controversy, social media platforms have been abuzz with discussions and debates. Many individuals have expressed disappointment. "Shah jee has seen Lahore and Karachi and thinks that's Pakistan. No problem," penned one Twitter user in Urdu.

Another user of the microblogging site joked, "Yes, we are extinct. I am tweeting from the burial mounds of Mohenjodaro. The Indus River dried up a [millennium] ago. Sindhi is no longer spoken in Pakistan, it is all Chinese and Urdlish."

One Twitter user extended an invitation and posed a question. "Come to Sindh, sir and let us prove you wrong. I wonder where he got this idea that Sindhi is no longer spoken in Pakistan?" they penned.

Even actor Mansha Pasha stepped in to refute the claim. "As a proud Sindhi who speaks the language within her household, I beg to differ," she stated.

The Sindhi language holds immense cultural and historical importance in Pakistan. It has been spoken by millions of Sindhi people for centuries, and continues to be spoken to date. The community has made substantial contributions to art, literature, and music, fostering a vibrant cultural heritage. As the news of Shah's comments continues to circulate, it remains to be seen how the actor will address the inadvertent oversight.

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