Veteran Bollywood actors Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah have finally settled their bitter 2020 public feud after Shah extended an apology at a recent memorial service. The rift, which became one of Bollywood’s most high-profile ideological clashes, appears to be mended, with Kher confirming the reconciliation in a recent interview.
Speaking to Unfiltered by Samdish, Kher recounted the unexpected meeting at the memorial service for filmmaker H.D. Pathak. “We did meet recently where he apologised to me—said, ‘Sorry yaar!’ We met at HD Pathak’s death,” Kher revealed.
The feud originated in 2020 after Shah, in an interview, called Kher a “clown” and questioned his “blood” for voicing pro-government views following Deepika Padukone’s controversial visit to JNU. Kher had retaliated sharply on social media, accusing Shah of living in “frustration” despite his success.
Despite the harsh exchange, Kher described the encounter warmly, noting that Shah hugged him during the greeting. “I really like him a lot, and he is one of the actors who inspired me to get into acting,” Kher added, reflecting on their long professional history, which includes acclaimed films like A Wednesday (2008).
While acknowledging Shah’s “brilliance” and “intelligence,” Kher also hinted at a lingering puzzle regarding his co-star’s occasional comments. “I think there is some kind of bitterness that targets sometimes me, sometimes Dilip Kumar, and sometimes Rajesh Khanna,” he remarked.
The apology marks a significant turning point, bringing a close—at least for now—to a public disagreement that underscored the ideological tensions within the film industry. The two actors last collaborated on screen in Neeraj Pandey’s 2018 thriller Aiyaary.