SRK thanks fans and Bollywood for support

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan today thanked his fans and friends from Bollywood for supporting him amid controversy over his comments on Pakistani cricketers, which invited the ire of Shiv Sena.

"I am very thankful to everybody who understood my point of view and said it. I even thank the people who have not been able to stand by me or say anything because maybe they have not had the time and maybe they are being prudent and don`t want to push the issue further," Khan told reporters at a promotional event here. Bollywood stars like Abhishek Bachchan, Salman Khan and Bipasha Basu had come out openly in support of the 44-year-old actor on micro-blogging website Twitter expressing solidarity with him but there are some big names from the industry, who have remained tight-lipped on the whole issue, refusing to take sides in the war of words between Shah Rukh and Sena chief Bal Thackeray. "All that has been happening over the past few days is very unfortunate and sad! I believe that sports, arts and culture should be above politics," Abhishek Bachchan wrote on Twitter. "My family and I have faced many such incidents in the past. And all I wish for is peace and harmony to prevail over all citizens," he added. Salman Khan, who is said to be not on cordial terms with SRK, too defended him, saying he has not said anything which is wrong. "What should he apologize for `My Name is Khan` should be released for sure. It has to. As an industry we pay huge entertainment tax to the government and we entertain the people also. We don`t think like politicians. I anyway don`t understand this whole thing of taking a morcha and going to somebody`s house," he said.