Can we, please, just leave him alone?
Shahrukh Khan is an icon. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and the rest of the world – he’s an artist that does the job of crossing borders effortlessly. But he happens to be born an Indian and, by all accounts, at peace with his multiple identities.
So, when Lashkar-e-Taiba boss, Hafiz Saeed, whose new fondness for Hindi / Urdu cinema and actors has come as a bit of surprise to me, takes up cudgels for Shahrukh, and offers him security in Pakistan, one must question his motives.
On January 27, Saeed tweeted:
Sharukh Khan Should come to Pakistan if he is being persecuted for his faith; Islam. We will welcome him with an open heart…
Saeed’s blind hatred for everything Indian could help place his remarks in context, but what about Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik, whose professed aim is to improve relations between Delhi and Islamabad?
On January 29, Malik said at a reception hosted by Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal in Islamabad that the government of India should provide security to Shahrukh:
He (Shah Rukh) is born Indian and he would like to remain Indian, but I will request the government of India (to) please provide him security. I would like to request all Indian brothers and sisters and all those who are talking in a negative way about Shah Rukh, they should know he is a movie star.
But, no one was talking in a negative way. It was an article that Shahrukh wrote to which Saeed and later Rehman Malik appeared to be responding to. There weren’t any active threats or protests happening against Sharukh the Actor, or questions raised about his religious identity at this point of time.
And, then jumped in Indian Home Secretary R.K. Singh and Information Minister Manish Tewari to declare that India was quite capable of looking after the security of its own citizens:
We are quite capable of looking after security of our own citizens…let him [Malik] worry about [the] security of his own [citizens, said Singh].
It was “irksome” to clarify a “non-existent” issue: Shahrukh himself went on to say:
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.
I think some of the people have not even read it [the article] and are reacting to comments of people, who in turn have also not read it. I implore everyone here to read the article and convey through your respective mediums of communications all the good things that it expresses to youngsters and my fellow Indians.
To me, it seems to be a case of Hafiz Saeed wanting to create more trouble for Shahrukh Khan (and Indian Muslims), Rehman Malik joining the band without bothering to read what Shahrukh wrote and the Indian establishment responding in a very Indian-government way to what was being said in Islamabad.
Whether Saeed can be directly linked to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks or not on the basis of evidence, the fact that he is the ideological fountainhead of “jihadi terror” in Pakistan cannot be disputed.
And, by continuing to play footsie with Saeed, the Pakistani establishment continues to raise questions about its intentions in dealing with mentors of terror like the Lashkar boss.
By appearing on the same side as Hafiz Saeed, Rehman Malik didn’t do Shahrukh Khan or Pakistan any favours. Whatever problems Indian Muslims face, “help” from Mr. Malik isn’t going to add to their security.
He probably knows that. But he should also know that succumbing to the demands of byte-and-camera journalism can do enormous damage to even larger-than-life personalities like Shahrukh Khan.
One can only wonder if Mr. Malik would be equally concerned about the “security” of a John Abraham or Hrithik Roshan.
Let’s not cast Shahrukh in this long-running India-Pakistan film entitled Tragedy and Farce.
Agreed?
Amit Baruah is an independent, Delhi-based journalist. He is the author of Dateline Islamabad and reported for The Hindu newspaper from Pakistan.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Shah Rukh Khan himself — has to find a SENSE of PROPORTION in his name and fame in India — millions of worshiping Indians AGAINST a handful of stray detractors.
Which is worth paying attention — millions or the few?
If SRK keeps doing such mischief surely he will be sent to his place of ancestors as he himself says.Bollywood doesn’t need SRK,SRK needs Bollywood.In future being in Pakistan he may be of help to Pakistan film industry which is practically non-existent where he act,produce,direct and promote some films for Pakistan.Any one Hindu,Muslim,Christian,Sikh etc against Indian Union is sedition and will be banished out of India period.
Without the Pakistani SRK, Bollywood would be like a vacuum.
pls come out of the well… B’wood has lots of good actors … but I agree, Indians will miss SRK.. but BW will not be a vaccum..
Please explain what is Pakistani SRK. He is an Indian citizen. How a Muslim born and living in India is Pakistani?
It is a nice thought Mr. Baruah, but please remember that it cuts both ways… i.e. you should give the same kind of advice to Mr SRK — to leave India and Pakistan (stuff that touches upon issues, mindsets, ideologies etc) alone — by making comments of the kind he has recently it is only too natural that the reaction followed. Nobody from India or Pakistan forced him to, but the fact is that given his popularity it is only but normal that people react in the manner that they did, and continue to. One cannot help but wonder if that (SRK’s comments) were nothing more than just a way to attract attention to stir up something — a thing which even the most famous actors are prone to do from time to time, given the kind of insecure, frivolous and sycophantic world that surrounds them. Remember, it was he Mr. Khan that started it. Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind!
what why when where who care
I agree with the article by Amit – I strongly feel that Pakistani leaders should concentrate on the welfare of their own country which is in my opinion, is sinking in all aspects. I left Pakistan long time back as I simply can not live and groom my children in that society where there is nothing fair and honest and there is no security for anyone.
Dr. Rashid Ansari
By appearing on the same side as Hafiz Saeed, Rehman Malik didn’t do Shahrukh Khan or Pakistan any favours……..Just shows true face of Pakistanis….Hafiz saeed and Rehman Malik are more or less same as for as India is concerned
SRK Always wants to stay in news….. Even a film like JTHJ by the veteran director Late Yash Chpra could not get him in the lime light he has been missing all these years. …. Vanity is the most favorite sin….of Satan …. What can serve it best then the two nuclear armed nations are having cross dialogues over a few word written by him. He is in headlines again…. good…. at-least all of you serves his purpose well.
Amit Ji, Hafez Sahib’s reaction to the article and his offer to provide security to SRK can be put into some kind of context to make some sense out of it. While Malik Sahib’s issue is a little different: he cannot read, or comprehend even if the first condition is met. Please don’t let these jokers define the few rest of us peace loving Pakistanis. Thanks.
HAHAH pakistanis such as hafeez n rehman simply cant tolerate and digest that SRK an indian muslim can be successful in an unislamic nation like INDIA
Thats true ..we have already enough issues..celebrities, when get bored, go for some issues which could bring them in lime light… that is what he has done… they are addicted to attention seeking… and try always to stay in media… but sometimes their attention seeking efforts bring them miseries… but they dont care..they love such challenges.. SRK has done the same as he has big ambitions…so lets not waist our time and demage a relation which is already very fragile…
Lashkar -e taiba’s member should be loaded on a ship and then sunk in the Arabian Sea.They are an embarrassment not only to Pakistan but to the whole Islamic world.
Pakistani politics is totally based on anti India policy. they have no other issues like to develope there own state.At the time of election they start anti Indian activities. But leader of Pakistan dont want to realize that Day by day their internal problems are being increased. Pakistan is economically, politically and ofcourse religiously unstable country, once US and China stop funding them they will lead to collapse.
These types of act are accepted from Pakistan but fortunately we are on right path.
Imran Mehmood, haha conditions in India are far better than anything happening in Pakistan. Look into your problems first, they are much worse than you can dream of
Amit, being a Pakistani, I totally agree to you. I know in Pakistan even Muslims are not safe due to their religion. Secterian genocide in Quetta and elsewhere has casted a scar on the face of Islamic identity of the country. We Pakistanis are trying to hide this scar and will jump on any loose end on Indian side, you know, just to make us feel better. The reality is, Shah Rukh may been killed if he was born and raised in Pakistan being a Muslim of a different sect. Being an Indian Muslim at least he is still lucky to have lived long enough to register a qualified list of grievances .
SRK Looks like a Pakistani
SRK is an Indian. He should be proud, which he is, to be an indian because without india he would have been nothing and indians should be proud of him for such a talent they have got. Pakistani and Indians must discourage war mongers and hatred preachers on both sides of the border.
SRK has one, maybe two talents – caricature and romance. Otherwise he can’t act. Having cleared my phlegm with that comment(I can’t stand his attempt to speak Tamil on Ra.One), I believe him when he says he is a true Indian. I would believe any Indian(Muslim or otherwise) who says so, because Indians are surrounded by basket case countries and have to help themselves and those countries stand again, and this can’t happen if we don’t have mutual trust among ourselves.
Indians can’t stand my comments, the truth hurts.
very well written, I am wholly d ‘accord with your purposes thank you
but he asked for it !
Tame your own dog first before you try to tell me how to tame mine.
Thanks Amit for the link to SRK’s article. I searched for it earlier but couldn’t locate it.
I read the entire article from top to bottom. What is objectionable about it? Absolutely nothing! He has every right to speak and the article is mostly in jest and he has used humor to highlight some ills in our society which he has every right to.
Yes, Let us leave him alone. I know it is wishful thinking but I still would want an apology from those activists who made a mountain out of a molehill.
Two people Hafiz Saeed and Rehman Malik. Need we say more?
A third is the Indian home minister.