My Name is Khan

One would like to believe that the harassment that Mr. Shah Rukh Khan faced at the Newark International Airport was not something that was blown out if proportion simply for publicity purposes. It is certainly no secret that post 9/11 U.S. authorities have become strict, almost to levels of paranoia regarding security issues. One can certainly not deny that racial profiling has also been taking place and certain surnames are more susceptible to such profiling. If Shah Rukh Khan was indeed harassed because of his surname, it is sad and deserves to be condemned in the strongest terms by all authorities.

On the other hand, given the kind of statements that Shah Rukh has been issuing post this incident lends itself to the belief that the incident has been blown much out of proportion. For example - in an interview to one of the TV channels, he said that when asked the reason for his visit to the USA, he replied "to sign autographs". No self-respecting and conscientious Immigration officer would take such a reply lightly. Also look at the number of times he has commented that he was "detained" and harassed because "My Name is Khan". Coincidence, is it not, that Shah Rukh's next film, to be released has the same name, and deals with the same issue - racial profiling post 9/11. Further, he admits that this is not the first time it has happened to him. So why raise a brou-ha-ha only this time round? Why not the first time that it happened to you? And again, Shah Rukh claims that he was not allowed to make any phone calls, and when he is finally allowed to do so, who does he call? Not those who have invited him to the USA and who would be just on the other side of the Immigration counter, not the Indian Consulate in the area, not his family in India, but Rajiv Shukla, whose major claim to fame lies in his proximity to the Indian media. On a dull Independence day, when the only other newsworthy items were deaths due to swine flu and the PM's Independence Day speech, this became "Breaking News" with channels scrambling over each other to be the first to get an interview of Shah Rukh, Karan Johar (the director of "My Name is Khan") and anybody else waiting to get their 15 minutes of media time!! Even Central Government ministers rushed to give their bytes on the topic. And once all the hoopla had been created, and comparisons drawn to the frisking of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Shah Rukh turns all magnanimous - " I don't want an apology from them", "I don't want to step on U.S. soil again, but will do so, because of my fans." etc.

Ah, the fans!! Shah Rukh Khan has a huge fan following in India and abroad. But even the most hard core of them would not hesitate to say that Shah Rukh is not the most reticent of people. In fact, arrogance seems to be his middle name, and like one of his songs from one of his movies, he truly believes that "I am the best."

Well, Mr. Khan, whether you are the best or not is an other issue, and the subject of another blog. You may be a superstar in India, one of the highest tax-payers, but once you leave the shores, you are just like any one of us, subject to the same rules and regulations as the 'mango people'. It will be good if you remember that the next time round and also stand up for what is truly wrong in real as well as reel life.