India / I sell my talent, not conscience: Sushant on contract ending with Savdhaan India

On early Tuesday morning, actor Sushant Singh tweeted that his long stint with STAR Bharat's Savdhaan India has come to an end.

“And, my stint with Savdhaan India has ended,” Sushant wrote. "A very small price my friend," he further tweeted when a follower asked him whether it was "the price" he paid for speaking out.

His tweet came just a couple of hours after he participated in a protest in Mumbai to express support for students of the Jamia Millia Islamia, following a police crackdown in the campus in Delhi on Sunday after they protested against the controversial new citizenship law that excludes Muslims.

When we caught up with him, Singh elaborated on events that transpired over the course of a few hours.

"I got to know about this last night itself. The person who heads the team, texted me, saying, 'your last shooting day is on this certain date.' I really felt bad. I consider Savdhaan India as my own show. I'm emotionally very attached to that show but then it's channel's prerogative," said Singh.

The actor, however, neither confirmed nor denied whether his participation in the protests cost him his contract with the channel.

"I don't know the exact reason why I'm being removed from the show. But the people have assumed that it might have to do something with my participation in the protests. It could be a coincidence also because they had also previously removed me and brought Ashutosh Rana and Tisca Chopra on board," he said.

"Honestly, it doesn't matter. I have seen a lot of ups and downs in my life; sat back at home without work several times. And, it does scare me, but thankfully, I have a very supportive partner in my wife."

Singh, who is also the general secretary of Cine and TV Artists' Association (CINTAA), says that speaking up will always have a price, but "I'm answerable to all the youngsters, the future generation, and I have to raise my voice otherwise what's the point of making people alert through a show?"

"I have to make them alert in real life as well. Today, it's become very important to raise voice because whatever happening in the country is not right. Forget the work, nothing is permanent anyway. No show runs for ever. Every actor's career comes to an end some day, mine would get over a little sooner. I don't care. I'll earn money by doing other shows. I was just telling somebody, 'talent bechta hoon, zameer nahi (I sell my talent, not conscience),'" he added.