, July 23 -- Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has questioned why many of Bollywood's biggest names have remained silent on the student protests over education reforms, saying some people speak up only after it no longer costs them anything.

Speaking to The Wire, a media outlet based on Delhi, Shah was asked why many leading actors had not commented publicly on the demonstrations, which have spread across India over the past week.

"They will do it when their conscience tells them to," Shah said. "There is a saying: a dog with a bone in its mouth can't bark. As soon as the bone drops out of their mouth, or it breaks their teeth, then they will bark."

When asked whether celebrities were staying silent because they benefited from doin...