Shah Rukh Khan: Will Cut Back On U.S. Visits After Airport Problem

AP:

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Comments

[ExoticBronze]

01:43 AM on 08/23/2009

So an international traveler being asked about the purpose of his visit, and the sponsors of his trip, is being 'racially' and 'religiously' profiled?!!!

Dont rush to besmirch US immigration, just because the security agencies choose to remain silent, even as SRK's tantrums reverberate in the media like a circular echo chamber.

Already there are reports that two brothers - Farhath Hussain and Altaf Hussain - who sponsored SRK's trip have been under the scanner of US authorities for underworld links and illegal financial dealings. The Hussain brothers, and a friend, between them fully control the lucrative Bollywood showbiz market in the US and Europe. The friend, Vijay Taneja, is serving time in a Federal prison for Mortgage Fraud.

The Bollywood-underworld mafia nexus is an open secret in India. The same underworld is in bed with Pakistan's terror network. Another Bollywood star harbored weapons for Pakistan funded terrorists who caused large scale explosions in Mumbai. SRK by all accounts has a clean reputation so far, but so did Sanjay Dutt till law enforcement officers on the trail of Pakistan's terror network ended up at his doors!

So stop screaming 'racial profiling' because your Bollywood heartthrob is questioned. Let law enforcement do its job. Even Al Gore, and Colin Powell were frisked and questioned - and did not throw a tantrum!

Fortunately, the US authorities are not suckers for the antics of this Bollywood star as are some of his starry eyed fans.

And I am an Indian.

[jackstpaul]

10:18 AM on 08/19/2009

I was pulled aside at Newark in January. I'm a nobody, but with some small progressive political activism. Never been taken aside before.

It happens. They have weird criteria that trip their triggers. Was my being taken aside based on my race/ethnicity/religion? White/Irish-American/Agnostic.

You need to look for patterns of behavior by officials. Individual instances are mere anecdotes.

I wasn't happy about it either. I made the flight with about 10 seconds to spare. Happens hundreds if not thousands of times at airports every day.

Perhaps he very closely resembled someone on a list, or a similar name. Who knows? I doubt that people at the Newark airport had any clue who he was. I didn’t until now.

[Nobrun]

10:31 AM on 08/19/2009

I doubt Mr. Khan has an issue with being stopped. It's the process. After he explained who he was, what questions was he asked? Why 2 hours?

[SFA]

10:35 AM on 08/19/2009

Atleast some knows what he is talking,

reding so many people commenting with half baked facts, really annoys.
By the way SRK is my Favorite Actor, so a little bias over here.

[toxicbrainpoison]

07:56 AM on 08/19/2009

This is excellent publicity for his new movie... all about racial profiling, him in a suit in front of the American flag looking exasperated. Its not everyday that bollywood makes a movie about racial profiling so it needed an extra boost.

[SFA]

08:46 AM on 08/19/2009

Any one who thinks he needs to do this for publicity, does not know him.I can excuse an american for not knowing SRK, but somebody from South Asia(many have said this) think he needs to this for publicity can never be excused.


His press conferences are broadcast live on News Channels in India.(No channel refuses, not like Obama were Fox does not carry it.)

He very much owns the media by his personality
.He does not need such gimmicks for publicity, he is as we call him the King of Bollywood & Sha in his name also means King.


note:- Just saw hi press conference in India & an interview to CNN-IBN,

The movie it's not about racial profiling, not about muslims etc. He makes that point very clear.
One more question he asks, the film is coming out in another 8-9 months from now.Publicity starts three months back. from the relese dates.

Just because the Movies name is "My Name is Khan" it is about muslims, had the movies name been "My Name is John" , will it be chritisan movie.

[SFA]

06:37 AM on 08/19/2009

He was asked for secondary check,

Many othere people who were there (asians), started takinf his pics , autographs etc.

A senior immigration officer of Indian Origion vouched for him 4 times in fornt of that officer, but he did not listen.Only when the Indian emmabsy Intervend did they let him go.


No body is objecting to even to a secondary check, but atleast use some common sense.
2hours when , every random guy is taking his pic & asking for autographs.Your senior says he knows who he is. but u still keep him for 2 hours(Had indian embassy not intervend , longer)

You still asking him do you know any american who can stand for you(phone numbers etc.).

Commomn Sense,?????????

[ForeverXL]

04:00 AM on 08/19/2009

Bye Bye

[samuelberg]

02:03 AM on 08/19/2009

Angry Indian citizens burning the U.S. Flag? That is so 1979.

[vascopyjama]

12:23 AM on 08/19/2009

So he wasn't an Untouchable?

[ExoticBronze]

02:06 AM on 08/23/2009

Thank you.

I was wondering how come we have a thread about India without an American bringing in the 'Caste system'.

I have seen boards on 'India's first nuclear submarine' and 'India's moon mission' all attracting droves of intelligent Americans invoking 'India's despicable caste system'.

While we are at it, could you also throw some light on America's Slavery and segregation era please?

That will add great value to this discussion.

Thank you, once again.

[whitewoman]

11:56 PM on 08/18/2009

As an American I am perfectly willing to apologise to someone this HOT.
SORRY but please,please comeback......please?

[thebeautyoftheburst]

09:54 PM on 08/18/2009

Cry baby. Boo Hoo.... Just cause your a movie star back home don't mean s. hit here. You will be treated everyone else that comes trough the boarder. Luckily they didn't give you st. rip search. Then you'd have something to cry about.

[thankulord13]

08:43 PM on 08/18/2009

So what... who cares if never comes back. Life will go on.

[brooklyncitizen]

06:02 PM on 08/18/2009

He's very attractive....too attractive to be a terrorist.

[Bharatbhangi]

06:30 PM on 08/18/2009

R u suggesting intrusive border screening of ugly people only? Was Continental Airlines therefore justified in frisking the former Indian President?

[Pip1860]

05:01 PM on 08/18/2009

I don't think Americans are aware of this at all but Muslims in India are treated exactly like Africans in South Africa during aparthied. There is absolutely no exaggeration in stating this fact. Although some educated segments of Hindu society are liberal and progressive the vast majority of Hindus look at Muslims with utter disdain. You will have Hindus on huffpost lying about the equal status of all but the truth is that the ghettos of every Indian city are populated by Muslims. Of course part of this their lack of education but the other part is the fact that time and again Indian Muslims are shouted down by Hindu Nationalists with the slogan "Pakistan or Kabristan", meaning either go to Pakistan or go to your grave. Doesnt exactly fit the bill of communal harmony. Even these so-called bollywood stars are denied housing in upscale areas of Bombay simply because they are not Hindu. As evidence of further hatred you can read within todays huffpost news the articleabout the Muslim college student who was basically kicked out for covering her head. There are some Hindus who do not hate Muslims outright but they are few and far between.

[ExoticBronze]

02:25 AM on 08/24/2009

How many muslim Presidents have India had? Zakir Hussain, Fakruddin Ali Ahmed, APJ Abdul Kalam..to name three.

How many blacks were made President of south Africa by the Whites during 'Aparthied'...well let me guess...Zero!

You want the world to believe that muslims are incarcerated, third class citizens with no constitutional rights (like Aparthied era South Africa), and are denied housing/transportation like in segregation/aparthied era South Africa. May be that is what your Mullahs are teaching would-be terrorists in the Saudi funded Madrassas of Pakistan!

The fact is there are muslim billionaires and business leaders in India. There have been muslims Military chiefs and corps commanders in India. Muslim governors, chief ministers, are common, as are muslim Federal ministers! And to think that they all live in slums!

How many non-muslim Presidents or Prime Minsters has Pakistan had? India's current PM is Sikh. The previous President was Muslim.

Let me also correct your statements..."There are some Hindus who do not hate Muslims outright but they are few and far between." WRONG. Most Hindus, including me, have no hatred for people of other religious faith. If that were true, we would have been like Pakistan, with religious minorities kept out of high offices of the Government and military.

How many Hindus and Christians have become Heads of state, Governors, Chief Ministers, Military chiefs in Pakistan? How about ZERO!

Please ask your Mullah at the Saudi funded madrassa to come up with believable fantasies.

[ExoticBronze]

03:48 PM on 08/18/2009

A Congressman was strip searched in an airport, because the X-ray machine kept beeping? SRK u wont believe it, accustomed as we are to different standards for the 'privileged' gentry in India. Well he was. And just in case you are wondering if he was a minority, let me assure you the congressman is WHITE, MALE, and CHRISTIAN. In other words, yhou can not use the Race, gender or religion card to explain that incident.

Want more examples? The daughter of the previous President ran afoul of the law and was booked by the cop for a drinking related charge! Yes, dear Shah Rukh Khan, you must think I am out of my mind. Well, I am not making stuff up. Even Al Gore the former Vice President got frisked more than once in the US! Colin Powell was frisked as well. So what do you think makes you more special than Congressmen, Vice Presidents, former Chief of Staff, and the family of the President of the United States?

Sorry! Dont expect the US immigration to instantly recognize, prostrate before, and usher out every actor, dancer, singer, sportsperson, and stand up comedian from India, France, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Albania, China, Mongolia, Italy, Somalia, Leichenstein, Afghanistan, Peru, Sudan, and the rest of this big wide world! Believe me there is more to this world than Shah Rukh Khan and Bollywood.

Dont like it? Dont come here. Stay at home and sulk in India.

You wont be missed.

- Setu Madhavan

[dteg]

03:57 PM on 08/18/2009

I would like to see your thank you letter after someone feels you up. I bet I never will.

[ExoticBronze]

04:44 PM on 08/18/2009

Buddy, pull the thousand pieces of your broken heart together. No one FELT your dear SRK! Not unless you want to hang on to that piece of fantasy to justify to yourself the drama this bollywood star created.

He was only questioned. That is all. He was not stripped, not hit, not chained...I am sure that is what you will see in this movie 'My name is Khan'...but Bollywood melodramatic movies are meant to be that. Dont confuse the real world with that.

He said today that the reason he was hurt is they asked him, "Your name is common, whom are you going to meet?". This is standard questions asked to visitors including my parents. That is their job!

C'mon dear, now please stop sulking, and get on with life.

[harriettubman]

08:43 PM on 08/18/2009

Diana Ross had a cow after being "touched" in London. Claimed they went to places they shouldn't have been. I highly doubt it. She was just mad because someone had the audacity to touch Miss Ross.

[hillpill]

04:26 PM on 08/18/2009

And don't forget to use "Fair and Handsome"!

[ExoticBronze]

03:43 PM on 08/18/2009

Did they strip search you, SRK? NO! Did they beat you? NO. Did they waterboard you? NO! Did they send you on an all expense paid, one way holiday trip to Mount. Guantanamo Bay, in a brand spanking new flourescent orange jump suit? NO! Did they call you names, Did they ridicule you for your nationality, color, or talk ill about your looks or religion or mock at you for claiming to be a big star? NO! So why exactly is the sky falling down Mr. Khan? Why do you want 1 billion Indian undies in a wad for, SRK? Because US immigration didnt recognize your celebrity! And because the officers had the temerity to put you in the line for secondary questioning! That too along with other common passengers ...and because you were asked to await your turn, instead of jump the line! The realization that for a change you were treated as a commoner must have been so sobering.
no one in the US, outside of the usual Bollywood fan (south asian) base, recognizes you. Not one person! Sorry to rain on your parade buddy, but even if they were to recognized you, the US airport security would still treat you as regular Joe. Why? Because thats how they run things here in the US.

Dont like it? Dont come here!

[Bharatbhangi]

01:26 PM on 08/18/2009

Obviously in India Muslims get treated much better than they do in the US. Have you ever heard SRK complain about any alleged mistreatment of Muslims in India? Also, Indians are much more appreciative of good acting than the US movie going public which is why SRK is so much more popular in India.

[ExoticBronze]

04:15 PM on 08/18/2009

Buddy, I am an Indian. Why did you forget that over a 1000 muslims were killed in riots in Gujarat, India. What about Nandigram, and other places. I did not hear of muslims being killed by rioting mobs in the US.

And what is this about "...Indians are much more appreciative of good acting than the US movie going public which is why SRK is so much more popular in India..."

So what you are saying is SRK is more popular in India because US movie going public is less appreciative of 'good acting'. Did it occur to you that US movie going public may NOT know Hindi!!!

Are you trying to tell me that people in India regularly watch Russian, Chinese, Spanish, Japanese movies in theaters. Why is it so difficult for us Indians to get over ourselves. We have our movies, other cultures and languages have theirs. Let them enjoy their movies, you watch your stars.

within India how many Hindi speakers watch regional language films? Then why do you feel offended if foreigners dont understand, or care about your Hindi movies. Live with it, bud. Get on with life.

[brooklyncitizen]

06:01 PM on 08/18/2009

Wake up already.
The reason Pakistan was created was because Muslims and Indians cannot stand each other....and there is discrimination against Muslims in India.

[ExoticBronze]

06:31 PM on 08/18/2009

Agree there is discrimination against muslims in India...like 3 muslims became the President in India, several became Chief Justice and Vice President, not to count the several Governors and Military Chief/Corps Commanders.

While there are riots that happen between communities, the Constitution provides equal rights, and governments have given extensive representation and safeguards for minorities. The present Prime Minister is a minority person, as is the defence Minister, as is the Finance Minister (Pranab Mukherjee - yes some may not know that, as is Ambika Soni, and RajSekhar Reddy, and Jaipal Reddy). The previous President was Muslim.

Talking of Pakistan (since you brought it up), how many Hindus do you think have become Presidents, Prime MInister, Governor, Military Chiefs in Pakistan. How about ZERO?

[harriettubman]

08:44 PM on 08/18/2009

And people only think discrimination happens in America. NOT!!!