Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was uninvited from the Jashn-e-Urdu event organised by the Urdu department of Mumbai University, which was scheduled for 1 February 2026. He had originally been invited to attend and interact with students. On 31 January, the university informed him that his presence was no longer required without giving any official explanation or apology.
Shah claimed that the decision was communicated to him late on the night of January 31 and that the offer to participate was withdrawn abruptly. He said the notice did not include a reason and that neither an explanation nor an apology was provided by the university.
He also stated that, after the cancellation, university officials told the audience that Shah had declined to attend the event - a version of events he disputed.
Shah wrote about the incident in a column for The Indian Express titled “When a university speaks power to truth”. In that piece, he recounted the timeline of the invitation, the last-minute cancellation, and the contradictory account reportedly shared by organisers.
In the same article, Shah used a phrase about “24-hour hate” to describe broader social conditions he referenced, saying that what was once a brief expression of hostility had become constant - a phrasing that drew wider attention after the event.
Shah also noted that the event had particular meaning for him because it offered an opportunity to engage with students, something he has done over many years.
When asked about the matter by a reporter at an airport, Shah said he did not want to comment further on the issue at that time.
