‘I don’t need to prove my secular credentials’

Shah Rukh Khan says he is as patriotic as anyone; decides to limit comments to films and acting only

NEW DELHI:

Shah Rukh Khan got embroiled in the “extreme intolerance” debate in India after he expressed his views about the prevailing situation. But the superstar says there is no need for him to prove his secular credentials.

The Bollywood Badshah elaborated on the ongoing debate in an interview with ETV, “I really don’t know anything about this. I speak straight-forward, clear-cut and good things whenever I speak. And I feel I don’t need to prove myself secular,” he said.

“If we want to move forward, we should not give too much importance to things like these, whether the person is fair or dark, which religion the person belongs to, which region the person hails from or which caste the person belongs to.”



Shah Rukh’s comment on extreme intolerance in India last month landed him in hot waters with leading BJP MP Yogi Adityanath. While the MP compared Khan to Hafiz Saeed, another Hindutva proponent, Sadhvi Prachi, dubbed the actor a “Pakistani agent”.

Superstar Aamir Khan had to face a similar problem after he shared that his wife had suggested they leave the country. The controversy was revisited by VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi on Tuesday when she attacked Shah Rukh and Aamir saying they are “tarnishing” the image of India through their comments on intolerance.

Shah Rukh Khan feels there is no end to such “things”, and has made a resolution — to talk about acting and films only.



“I have decided that I will discuss serious topics on a platform where I would be invited to discuss them. And that is very rare. In most cases, people don’t invite me for a discussion on serious topics and it is not required for me to discuss such topics during film programmes and birthdays, because the platform is not correct.”  He was of the opinion people tend to take half of his words and place them in a different context. So it is better that actors on acting platforms talk about acting and films only.

“If someone tells me that he is more patriotic than me, then he is stupid. From which angle can someone prove himself to be more patriotic? There is no logic behind that. Actually, we all are patriotic.”

The actor asserts that he expressed his feelings in the previous interview, which was tossed away as negative. “I even said that some people will take it wrong and say that he is speaking like that... Who will be more thankful towards this nation than me?” asked Khan, who is married to Gauri and has three children.



Talking about Narendra Modi’s government, Shah Rukh heaped praise upon the prime minister, calling his governance fantastic.

“I think the developmental part of his governance is fantastic. I am all for progress and development. And it will be fantastic if he takes it up and makes it for the whole country.” 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2015.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.