Bollywood reacts; feels terrible about Shah Rukh’s detention episode

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: Soon after Shah Rukh Khan got detained for as long as two hours early on Saturday at the Newark airport in the US for having ‘Khan’ as his last name, the Bollywood bigwigs came out reacting strongly to the episode. Being SRK’s close friend and also the director of his upcoming film ‘My Name Is Khan’, Karan Johar said, “I’m shocked and upset...feeling terrible for Shah Rukh.” While speaking to a news channel, Karan said, “Initial media reports said that he was ‘arrested’, it was awful. There’s a sense of humiliation and embarrassment. I mean being who he is, I don’t understand why he had to go through something like this.” On the other hand, reacting strongly to what happened with Shah Rukh, actress Priyanka Chopra poster on Twitter, “Shocking, disturbing and downright disgraceful. It’s such behaviour that fuels hatred and racism. SRK`s a world figure for God’s sake. GET REAL!!” While, one of the closest friends of Shah Rukh, Juhi Chawla, said that the detention was "as absurd as Brad Pitt coming to India, being strip-searched, investigated and interrogated". Another close friend of the actor, Farah Khan, said, "If he can be discriminated (on the basis of religion), who else is left. Shah Rukh was on Time Magazine among its 50 Most Influential People. It is not only discrimination but lack of knowledge also." Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said, "It is shocking that Shah Rukh Khan, who is by every definition a global icon, should be subjected to something like that". Music director Vishal Dadlani (of Vishal-Shekhar fame) also posted, “This is plain silly!! I mean, a quick internet search would tell them what they need to know about SRK!! Paranoia breeds stupidity, I guess!” Filmmaker Kabir Khan said, When I heard this news, I was so surprised...it has almost become a routine?if you have a Muslim name you are bound to be questioned. It happened with me thrice in the US? I was stopped by immigration officials for three to five hours... they don't care whether you are a celebrity or whoever. But when it comes to Shah Rukh, it doesn't take more than 20 seconds to figure out who he is? Any search engine (on the Internet) will give more information on him than Hollywood stars Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt and despite that if it took them two hours to figure out, then its harassment. Post 9/11 it is prejudice to have a person's name and religion checked and it is very discouraging as well. Here's what some other celebrities had to say about the humiliating incident: Pritish Nandy: This is the problem with law enforcers worldwide...Truly obnoxious. Cops don't want to recognise anybody. They love to show their power and authority, especially in the US. Kunal Kohli: It's really disgusting. Even if they had done a Google search on their mobiles, they would have seen who he is. What were they checking for two hours on their super computers? To detain him for two hours is ridiculous, disgusting and an insult to us Indians. Arindam Chaudhari: Shah Rukh has just finished his film 'My Name Is Khan' in which his character tries to prove to the Americans that he is not a terrorist. I'm sure he never thought it would happen in real life too...What a shame! It's shocking and shameful because I am sure Shah Rukh would have had to explain who he is. It's Shah Rukh so it's become big news. But there many who constantly go through this everyday. It's really sad. Eesha Koppikhar: I am not sure of the exact events but if he was detained just because he is a Muslim with Khan as a last name, it is very wrong. Meanwhile, talking to a news channel about the incident, Shah Rukh said, “The US has developed religious paranoia over the years. My guard was also denied a visa because he has the same last name as mine. They said I can’t use my phone.” Shah Rukh was released after Indian embassy officials vouched for him. He was in the US to attend Independence Day celebrations. Several Bollywood celebs are in the US for Independence Day celebrations, including Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan.