Daily Times

Singer Shaan Mukherji came under fire after he wished his Instagram followers Eid Mubarak last week. After he was criticised for wishing people on Eid with a photo of himself wearing a skullcap, the singer, who is quite active on social media, shared a video to explain his Eid post and urged people to show compassion and not attack people like him, who respect all religions. Now, Pakistani actor Anoushay Ashraf has come to Shaan’s defence.

On Tuesday, Pakistani VJ and actor Anoushey Ashraf said she was ‘sorry for the backlash’ the Indian singer suffered for his Eid wishes and remarked on the similarities between the two countries. Sharing a news article about Shaan schooling trolls, she tweeted, “Dear Shaan, we can’t wish Merry Christmas without getting hate too. It’s how zealots keep the fear, power and authority over us. They interpret religion as a divider of people and we follow like blind sheep. Sorry for the backlash. Eid mubarak to every human. May artists always bring us closer.” Earlier singers Sophie Choudry and Akriti Kakar had also supported Shaan after his Eid post was slammed by many.

Shaan was criticised for not only wishing fans on Eid, but also sharing a photo of himself playing, while dressed in a white kurta and a skullcap, worn usually by Muslims. Shaan had shared the photo on April 22, along with a caption that read, “Eid mubarak to you and your family.” The singer has since then deleted all comments on the post.

After a section of social media users criticised Shaan for his Eid post and said he should not have shared Eid wishes as he was Hindu, the actor shared a video of himself on Instagram, in which he responded to the backlash, without apologising for his post. Shaan also said that his Instagram Live serves as an explanation rather than a justification.

Shaan had explained in the video that his Eid greeting was designed as a ‘sign of respect and tolerance’ towards other religions, because both Hindus and Muslims were celebrating their respective holidays on the same day this year. “It was Eid, Parshuram Jayanti, and Akshay Tritya all in one day!” he had in the video as he spoke about his Eid post.

“I posted a screenshot from a music video I made three years ago, where I am reading namaaz, to wish my fans Eid… I have come to Mangalore for an event, and I have been seeing the comments on it,” Shaan had said in the clip.

He went on to say that ‘this kind of radical thinking is dangerous’ for India’s future. Shaan added India can never move forward as a progressive nation if we lack tolerance and respect for people. The singer went on to call out people’s hypocrisy, saying that he had previously posted photos of himself at the Golden Temple, where he covered his head as per Sikh customs and traditions, but he did not receive any backlash.

Shaan is known for his songs Deewangi Deewangi from Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Om Shanti Om and Bum Bum Bole from Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par and many others.