Fact Check: Naseeruddin Shah Was Not At The CJP Protest In Delhi; Here's the Truth Behind Viral Video

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah’s video with his sons, Vivaan Shah and Imaad Shah, is going viral on social media, with many claiming that it is from the CJP-led ‘Chalo Sansad’ protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Several social media users shared the clip claiming that the veteran actor had joined the ongoing students’ protest over the NEET paper leak controversy, and that he observed silently, showing solidarity with the students. However, the claim is false. The video does not show Naseeruddin Shah at Jantar Mantar or at any protest in Delhi.

Naseeruddin Shah’s Viral Video Is From Mumbai, Not Delhi

The video was actually recorded outside Regal Cinema in Colaba, Mumbai, and not at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, as many claimed. The original video was shared by an Instagram user named Rajesh Gaur on July 15,

and it showed Naseeruddin Shah and his son Vivaan Shah standing outside Regal Cinema in Mumbai after a film screening. The original video also captures the surroundings outside the cinema, where screenings of films including Raja Shivaji and Pati Patni Aur Woh Do were taking place. In the viral versions that are being re-shared now, parts of the footage showing the cinema location appear to have been removed, making it seem as though the actor was present at the Delhi protest.

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A post shared by Rajesh Gaur (@rajesh.gaur.524)

The timeline of the video also contradicts the viral claim. The original footage was posted on July 15 on Instagram, and shared again on July 20, while it gained wider attention later with misleading claims linking it to the Jantar Mantar protest.

Naseeruddin Shah And Others Urge CJP Protesters To End Hunger Strike

A few days ago, Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah joined writer Arundhati Roy, economist Jayati Ghosh, and several other public figures, urging Sonam Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike.

In their joint appeal, the signatories praised the protesters for leading the movement and thanked them for their commitment to the cause. At the same time, they expressed concern over the protesters’ declining health due to the hunger strike.

While reaffirming their support for the students’ demands, they urged Sonam Wangchuk to end his fast. “We request you to please consider ending this hunger strike immediately in the interests of the longer and more difficult struggle ahead. This battle is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need you, your strength and leadership in the days to come,” they said.

Wangchuk is part of the protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the irregularities and paper leak allegations linked to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG conducted on May 3.