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SRK clears the air
by lipika varma
Published: Thu, Jan 31, 2013
|  Posted by: AVS Newsroom |
Soon after writing a piece for Outlook Turning Point 2013 (published by The New York Times) titled ‘Being Khan’, Shah Rukh Khan is back in the midst of controversy.
The article had created a huge hue and cry with Pakistan Minister Rehman Malik saying that India should provide the actor with necessary security. New Delhi retorted “asking them to mind their own business”.
In an attempt to clear the air, Khan said, “Ironically the article, I wrote was actually meant to reiterate that on some occasions my being an Indian Muslim film star is misused by bigots and narrow minded people who have misplaced religious ideologies for small gains… and ironically the same has happened through this article…once again.”
In the article Khan had written: “According to me, all our lives we are defined by three identities. Two of which are fortunately acquired by birth and are a matter of unconditional love and acceptance. The first identity is acquired by where one is born. Our Motherland. That defines us. So foremost all of us here like me are proud Indians. As I said being an Indian and my parents’ child is an unconditional accepted truth of my life and I am very proud of both. So I am a Khan, but no stereotyped image is factored into my idea of who I am. Instead, the living of my life has enabled me to be deeply touched by the love of millions of Indians. I have felt this love for the last 20 years regardless of the fact that my community is a minority within the population of India. I have been showered with love across national and cultural boundaries; they appreciate what I do for them as an entertainer.”
“Sometimes, my children ask me what religion they belong to and, like a good Hindi movie hero, I roll my eyes up to the sky and declare philosophically, ‘you are an Indian first and your religion is Humanity’, or sing them ‘tu hindu banega na musalmaan banega - insaan ki aulaad hai insaan banega’,” says Khan.
He said he didn’t understand the basis of the controversy.
“I think some of the people have not even read it and are reacting to comments of people, who in turn have also not read it. So I implore you all to first read it. Second, if you read it, nowhere does the article state or imply directly or indirectly that I feel unsafe, troubled or disturbed in India,” says SRK.
Furthermore he says, “It does not even vaguely say that I am ungrateful for the love that I have received in a career spanning 20 years. On the contrary the article only says that in spite of bigoted thoughts of some of the people that surround us, I am untouched by scepticism because of the love I have received by my countrymen and women.”
He added, “I would like to tell all those who are offering me unsolicited advice that we in India are extremely safe and happy. We have an amazing democratic, free and secular way of life. In the environs that we live here in my country India, we have no safety issues regarding life or material. As a matter of fact it is irksome for me to clarify this non-existent issue.
“Let’s not be misled by tools which use religion as an anchor for unrest and a policy of divide and rule,” says Shah Rukh.
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