Puneet Issar expressed his disappointment at Bollywood superstars’ silence on Operation Sindoor, and asked the reason behind their it.
Puneet Issar, Shah Rukh Khan-Salman Khan-Aamir Khan
Veteran actor Puneet Issar has strongly criticised many Bollywood celebrities for staying silent during the ongoing Indo-Pak conflict and Operation Sindoor. While speaking to IANS, Issar said he was deeply disappointed by the lack of public support for the Indian army from influential figures in the film industry.
“I am very saddened that many people are silent. Why are we silent? We should not be. Because today, you march with a candle in your hand, you carry bags, and you do many things, but when it comes to praising the Indian army, you remain silent,” he said.
He pointed out that while some Pakistani and Punjabi singers and actors have spoken up, Bollywood stars have mostly stayed quiet. “At least one tweet, one message, should have been made. Some Pakistani and Punjabi singers and actors have spoken up, and that’s good, but everyone should do it,” Issar said.
The Border actor took a strong stance against those Indians who show support for Pakistan, calling it a “terrorist country.” He urged people to put the country above everything else. “First, we are Indians. Our country should be first. Our nation should be first. And we should stand united,” he said.
“Why shouldn’t we proudly say that we are Indians and support our Indian army? When there is an earthquake anywhere in the world, India is the first to send aid, yet some continue to support a terrorist country. Every Indian should think about this. What is the big deal about this? I would like to tell my friends, You should be proud of your culture, of your culture, of being an Indian,” he added.
Issar praised the Indian armed forces for their courage and dedication, especially during Operation Sindoor and recent incidents like the drone threat at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. “I am proud to say that I am an Indian. And I respect the strength of our army, our defence force. I bow to them. The praise that they have given, that we are living peacefully in our country today, is the result of their hard work. And we have proved to the world that we have repelled every attack of any traitorous country in Pakistan. This is commendable. And I salute our armed forces, our army, our air force, and our navy,” he said.
Meanwhile, several Bollywood stars have faced criticism for staying silent on Operation Sindoor. Aamir Khan was trolled for posting about it just hours before launching his film trailer, which many saw as opportunistic. Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan also drew negative attention—Bachchan for not speaking up, and Salman for tweeting about the India-Pakistan ceasefire and later deleting the post.
(With inputs from IANS)