New Delhi, From the film fraternity, his fans to artists and political parties – Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is drawing mass support in the wake of the Shiv Sena’s verbal assault on him for favouring Pakistani players’ inclusion in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Shiv Sena has sent feelers to Mumbai cinema halls to boycott the actor’s forthcoming film “My Name Is Khan”, which releases Feb 12. Sena workers have removed the film posters from several theatres.
Shah Rukh’s colleagues are expressing their support for him on micro-blogging website Twitter.
“Shah Rukh is the most secular and the most fair guy I know! It’s unfair to judge his movie based on his opinions! I do love Karan Johar and Shah Rukh! Both are very dear to me and I will defend them if someone writes nonsense about them,” film star Preity Zinta tweeted.
Added Anupam Kher: “Mr P. Chidambaram was displeased too for not including Pak (istani) players in IPL. No outcry about it. May be (because) he is the Home Minister. You need guts to go for him (sic).”
Others who have joined the online forum include directors Mahesh Bhatt and Anubhav Sinha. Veterans like Shabana Azmi and Shyam Benegal have also rallied in support for the actor on national television.
“The state must step into this immediately. The state has enough power. Why is the state not doing anything?” said Benegal.
Aamir Khan also said that if he were to select IPL players, he would do so only on the basis of their performance and not nationality.
Shah Rukh, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team of IPL, had spoken against the exclusion of Pakistani cricketers from the forthcoming tournament. The Shiv Sena said if Shah Rukh failed to apologise for his statement not only would his “My Name Is Khan” be banned, but all his films could face a ban in Mumbai.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come out in open support of the star.
The artists’ community Thursday also extended strong support to the Bollywood superstar.
A statement by the Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT)- an umbrella organisation of artists – said: “We, the community of artists, actors, musicians and cultural artists are in full solidarity with the clear stand taken by Shah Rukh Khan in facing the recent threats against him by the Shiv Sena.
“We salute the courage of Shah Rukh Khan in standing up to these threats and want him to know that the entire creative arts community stands by him,” said the statement, signed by well-known theatre personality M.K. Raina, artist and photojournalist Ram Rahman, artist Vivan Sundaram, designer and filmmaker Parthiv Shah and author Indira Chandrasekhar.
The Internet has also seen a flood of communities for the actor like “Support Shah Rukh Khan, Support India” and “We support Shah Rukh Khan and ‘My Name Is Khan’” on social networking website Facebook.
“Shiv Sena and MNS are treating Maharashtrians as slaves… They targeting Shah Rukh because he is a Khan. They never protested against L.K. Advani when he praised (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah,” Shakeel Shaikh posted on Facebook.
“The Sena can be pacified if Karan Johar and Shah Rukh change the name of their film from ‘My Name Is Khan’ to “My Name Is Khan (vilkar)’,” posts Mumbai-based xylo26 on Orkut.
Student and fans of Shah Rukh are not happy with the situation.
“India is a democratic country and everyone has the freedom to express his views. If Shah Rukh Khan feels that the Pakistani players should be included in IPL, it is singularly his opinion and one should respect it. Political parties like Shiv Sena are free to disagree with it but they are nobody to judge what’s right or wrong,” Poulomi Nath, a Delhi University (DU) student, told IANS.
Added Asif Ali Ansari, another DU student: “Cricket is a game irrespective of cast, colour, creed or religion and politics should not come in it. Shah Rukh Khan is right when he said Pakistan should play in the third session of IPL. How can they (Shiv Sena) make a ruckus out of it?”
shiv sena nonsense, long live srk, proove to them dat u r a real man, man of his words, love u.
Mass support for Shah Rukh Khan after Sena attack…diplomacy’s works wonders in any democracies.Yes it hurts when you feel the pain of it all.sometimes you must see within yourself ,what you may say or do ….can hurt others too.time will tell.
shiv sena is corrupted and very judgemental! SRK is a superstar of India but loved by people from all ovr the world. Why drag in his movie?+ and what exactly does cricket have to do with the Mumbai blast. These people at shiv sene are sick in their head!!
SRK you go man!!
king khan is always right,
& i proud thim for that kinds of statement,
hi is the right way,
& sapport him
Shiv Sena tactic is not appropriate and it is good all these people are coming for SRK. However, I want to ask one question, When Pakistani cricketers has stood for Indians that are Hindus or Christians? Mohammad Yusuf changed his religion, so he would be selected in Pakistan cricket team.
What guts (as Anupam Kher said) are we talking about here)? Only chicken, not even children, like Shiv Sena would come out to twist what was said? Living in a democratic country like India, everyone has the freedom to express his or her views – as long as they do not hurt the country. Shiv Sena have the freedom to disagree with the views. And that is it. They are not to judge what is right or wrong. What they are doing, staging violence, on Indian life and their livelihood is not Indian-like. I do not think Shah Rukh meant any harm saying what he did. Actually, what he did was very Indian-like. I would do as he did given a chance. I love India, and proud to be Indian – even, by birth, I am not 100% Indian. I will stand up against any adversaries that can hurt India and Indians anywhere.