Results tagged “shahrukhkhan”

The prolonged questioning of Bollywood star Shah Rukh (or Shahrukh) Khan at Newark Airport on Friday has ignited a debate over whether authorities overreacted. Even an Indian cabinet minister questioned the long time the Muslim star was held—P Chidambaram said the U.S. had "overdone it," pointing out, Had it been for ten minutes or even twenty minutes (of detention for questioning), one can understand it. But one fails to understand how could they hold him for two long hours?... It takes maximum of ten minutes, say twenty minutes, even if you have to frisk a person after stripping him."

One of the biggest Bollywood stars—aka the "Tom Cruise of India"—was detained and questioned at Newark Airport while on his way to Chicago for an Indian festival. Shah Rukh Khan, 43, texted reporters in India, "I was really hassled -- perhaps because of my name being Khan. These guys just wouldn't let me through," adding, he "felt angry and humiliated." And as it happens, in his new film, My Name is Khan, he "plays a Muslim mistaken for a terrorist"! However, the Port Authority says that Khan wasn't detained—just questioned—and customs officials say Khan's 66 minute questioning was routine—little did they know it would inspire Wrath of Khan puns! Shah later told reporters in Chicago, "I think it's a procedure that needs to be followed, but an unfortunate procedure." The U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said the government was "trying to ascertain the facts of the case -- to understand what took place," noting, "Shah Rukh Khan, the actor and global icon, is a very welcome guest in the United States. Many Americans love his films." Still, the Washington Post reports, "India's information and broadcasting minister, Ambika Soni, suggested that Americans should be treated the way Khan was when they arrive in India," while an Indian-born economist and member of Britain's House of Lords suggested it was a publicity stunt for the movie.