Shah Rukh says he will cut back on US visits

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said Tuesday he will cut back on visits to the United States, especially with his family, after he was questioned by immigration officials at a New York-area airport. Khan was taken aside at Newark`s Liberty International Airport on Friday for what officials said was routine questioning. They denied he was formally detained, saying the incident lasted barely more than an hour and was prolonged only because his bag had been lost by the airline.

But the questioning set off outrage in India, where politicians, sports celebrities and film stars regularly receive VIP treatment at airports. Angry fans burned a U.S. flag and protested what they saw as ill-treatment of a beloved star, and politicians called for an investigation. The Muslim actor was promoting his latest film, "My Name is Khan," about racial profiling after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Khan told reporters Tuesday after returning to Mumbai that the incident had been "blown out of proportion." But he said the questioning — which included requests for the names of people who could vouch for him — embarrassed him. He said he will travel to the U.S. less frequently. "Of course I will visit the U.S. if I have to go for my work. But I will go less often. If I have three things to do, I will club them together and go just once," he said. "And certainly, I wouldn`t like to travel with my family to the U.S." Khan, 44, appealed to fans to stop protesting. "Let`s put this behind us, think positively and move ahead," he told fans during a news conference. Khan has acted in around 70 movies in a career spanning two decades. He has consistently topped popularity rankings in India for the past several years. Bureau Report