Shah Rukh Khan in trouble again

Khan likely to run into more trouble with Shiv Seva as Prime TV confirms his plans to perform for Pakistani channel.

The Bollywood actor is likely to run into more trouble with Shiv Seva as Prime TV confirms his recent plans to perform for the Pakistani channel.

While Shah Rukh Khan’s office has denied all reports about the actor set to host a gala dinner for a Pakistani channel based in London, Prime TV has released a press statement confirming Khan’s scheduled performance, now being postponed till May 2011.

Last Friday, Indian political party Shiv Sena attacked Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for agreeing to perform at a function for Prime TV on the second anniversary of the 26/11 terror strike, according to an IANS report. However, the actor’s office said there was no truth in the allegation and that he was in Berlin shooting for the second installment of Don. “Shah Rukh is very much in Berlin. He’s shooting for Farhan Akhtar’s Don 2. He’s not going anywhere. There is no truth in the Saamna story,” said Khan’s office insider.

According to Prime TV’s press release, Khan’s office informed the channel that the actor had not been able to reach London due to Berlin’s weather and “other reasons”. The channel’s statement conflicts with the IANS report which suggested that Khan did not have a contract with the channel, “Khan was dually contracted to appear in this performance and in this connection we would particularly like to deny reports appearing in the press in India which appeared to suggest that he had not undertaken to appear at such a performance in London.”

Ticketholders of the gala dinner, arranged to raise flood relief for Pakistan, are now being refunded as per the instructions of Khan’s office.  “As a first priority the organisers of this programme have started to fully refund all ticketholders even though Shah Rukh Khan’s office is yet to provide funds to cover these costs.”  Other than reimbursements, ticket holders are also given an option to retain their tickets till May 2011, which is when Khan’s office has tentatively rescheduled the performance for.

Prime TV’s confirmation about Shah Rukh Khan’s consent to perform in the programme, is expected to earn the actor more of Shiv Sena’s wrath. The actor was earlier castigated by the same political party when it boycotted his film My Name is Khan as a reaction to Khan’s support for the inclusion of Pakistani players in Indian Premier League.

Earlier last month, Shiv Sena opposed the participation of Pakistani actors in “Bigg Boss 4”. The party held protests at Lonavala, a hill station near Mumbai, where shooting for the reality show was on, demanding the removal of Ali Saleem aka Begum Nawazish Ali and Veena Malik from the show, which is being broadcast by Colors TV.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2010.