...and yes it is a Muslim name. Never bothered anyone, right?Wrong! It spooked US immigration officers on Friday.
That's what Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan believes to have been the reason he was detained for questioning by these officers at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey (the US).
Shah Rukh is, yes, a Muslim. This has never bothered the thousands of his adoring Hindu fans in India and non-Muslims beyond the shores of India.
The actor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had been detained by immigration officials at the airport because his name came up on a computer check list. ("Whaaat? Dammit, don't you ignorant Americans know who he is? He is a world famous mega-mega star!! Ignoramuses!!)
He told the agency that he had been released after he was allowed to message a politician in India, who contacted the Indian embassy in Washington on his behalf.
The US officials have denied that Shah Rukh was detained because of his Muslim name or for any other suspicion.
Spokesman Elmer Camacho said he was not detained, "but it took a little longer because his bag was lost by the airline."And we are all idiots.
But, we, we should give them the benefit of the doubt....oooh such cliche!
Shah Rukh Khan was on his way from New York to Chicago to attend an Indian independence day celebration when he was stopped at Newark airport in the state of New Jersey.
The actor is in the U.S. to promote a new film, "My Name is Khan," which is about racial profiling of Muslims after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.Aah....life imitating art, eh?
Anyway, do read this, this and this.
And, oh....his fans are not taking this lightly.
My name is Bean, Mr. Bean.... (pernah sangkut gak kat airport US, he he he)
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when people with the same surname plant bombs n hijack hotels - bring disrepute to the whole clan.
ReplyDeleteI like Dato' Shah Rukh Khan, enjoyed many of his movies especially 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hein'.
ReplyDeleteDAMN YOU YANKEES! DAMN YOU!
KURANG AJAR BETUL AMERIKA INI KAN KAK AINA, SHAHRUKH KHAN NI MY FAVORITE ACTOR TAU, DASYAT BETUL AMERIKA BENCIKAN ISLAM KAN KAK, BUT THEY LOVE ANWAR!
ReplyDeleteI WONDER WHY?
some say its a stunt to promote his new movie - My name is Khan!
ReplyDeletewhat are we discussing here? It's not okay for the authority to detain celebrity but okay if you're NOT one! i'm not at all surprised if american don't know who mr khan is just like many malays doesn't know who anita mui is? she's passed away if i not mistaken! anita mui is BIG ..very big but ask any malays who she is and anita who?
ReplyDeleteThis admirer of the command of your language likes it much better when you write as you did for this posting on S R Khan - with a touch of irony and cynicism. Light hearted but meaty. And wow, does it pack a wallop! No ma'am, I sharn't comment on the substance as I do not propose to insult my intelligence [or what passes for it] by giving credibility to the bunch of a***h***s who think they are God's gift to the world. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteThis admirer of the command of your language likes it much better when you write as you did for this posting on S R Khan - with a touch of irony and cynicism. Light hearted but meaty. And wow, does it pack a wallop! No ma'am, I sharn't comment on the substance as I do not propose to insult my intelligence [or what passes for it] by giving credibility to the bunch of a***h***s who think they are God's gift to the world. Cheers.
ReplyDeleteAlahaiii..! Tak jadi kudis pun.
ReplyDeleteOrang tengah bahas pasal servival Melayu,servival Islam ni!! Tolong, jangan buang masa.
Pi main kat bawah nu.
I like SRK but I think he is a cry baby in this situation. He should emulate other well known personalities:
ReplyDeletehttp://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/14/bob.dylan/index.html
He needs to know that even H1(highly skilled employees) and Greencard holders who legally are higher in the chain of 'visitors' are sometimes subjected to secondary inspections, which is no big deal.
The reason for 2ndary inspection is because the first officer is 'unsure' what to do. He/She cannot make the judgment on letting SRK in.
Asian stars have ego issues.
He is not the only Muslim or folks with muslim name being treated that way. It is a sad fact. What to do? As they say, one bad apple spoil the whole bunch
ReplyDeletePlease don blame the Americans, they think the world starts on the East Coast and ends on the west coast! Even some of their politicians refers to their states as countries (???). And Yes, they are very shallow, most of them anyway. Blame their education system (ours is not the only screwed ones in the world!). So don blame them for not knowing Shah Rukh Khan, who probably has more fans than all the 6 Friends put together, or Jolie-Pitt put together!
ReplyDeleteI answer KJ Mouthpiece, Malaysian Insider's questions who is a traitor...
ReplyDeleteread it here
http://marahku.blogspot.com/2009/08/questions-i-want-to-answer-just-who-is.html
well, I guess only the kind of benefit of the doubt that we give our cops and MACC over murders such as Kugan's and Teoh and whatever not!!
ReplyDeleteWonder who learnt from who though!!
my friend, please go and read Time. Recently Bob Dylan was stopped and briefly detained by the POLICE in New York. But NO one shouted aloud that Dylan was detained because he is a christian, jew,a non muslim, white, not black, curly hair, or because he is old. He was detained cause the cops were suspicious. Thats all. And he is Bob Dylan much more famous that Shah Rukh Khan.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteatanjamilselamat,
ReplyDeleteyou said this: "what are we discussing here? It's not okay for the authority to detain celebrity but okay if you're NOT one! i'm not at all surprised if american don't know who mr khan is just like many malays doesn't know who anita mui is? she's passed away if i not mistaken! anita mui is BIG ..very big but ask any malays who she is and anita who?"
we are discussing american paranoia, of detaining anyone with a muslim name. I'm sure thaere had been many cases. Usuf Islam (Cat Stevens) was not allowed to land and was asked to leave some time ago.
and SRK happens to be a Bollywood mega celebrity. so, of course, he'd make the news. he is being idolised by thousands/ perhaps millions, the world over. (I am not a fan but that does not mean that i have nothing to say about this. also it does not mean that i do no have regard for the bollywood filmdom. i must also confess to being fascinated by the global Bollywood fascination/phenomenon).
as for your assumption that many malays do not know anita mui...i hate to disappoint you. but i know anita mui yim fong and her works very well and i was saddened when she was struck with cancer and later died. i immensely liked her co-starring with (the late) lesley cheung, especially in the chinese ghost story.
anita was not just an actress. she was far more than that.
perhaps you do not know that i grew up enjoying Chinese movies (especially martial arts ones). That's because of my mandarin background. I took mandarin lessons in primary school throughout early secondary (thru the 60s and early 70s). my friends were remove class girls. until today i cannot resist a good chinese marital arts movie.
thank you.
Perhaps the US authorities cautiously over reacted - they are afraid of muslims, you know. Anyway, they are only doing their jobs... However, maybe Khan also over reacted...being a fsmous star, he would have expected to be treated as such, instead of being humbled like a wrong doer....and his reactions probably added to his problems.
ReplyDeleteThe reaction of the indian govt. with regard to the above matter was swift and hard.It wanted an explanation from U.S. official.
ReplyDeleteBut the action of govt. of india has been criticised by many educated indian. Because when the highly respected,ex-president of india, Dr. Abdul Kalam faced a similar situation some time ago the reaction of GOI was slow and muted. Looks like the GOI places more important to a superstar(he is not a great actor by the way) than a great scientist and scholar who have dedicated his life for the well being of the country.
Too bad, Datuk Shah Rukh Khan. Most of the suspected and wanted terrorist connected with Al Qaeda and Osama Ben Laden carry the the surname 'Khan' and they originate mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan, the epicentre of terrorism worldwide. So that means even if, Kublai Khan or Genghis Khan were to visit the USA today, they will be subjected to the same treatment!
ReplyDeleteThere goes the glamour of being a 'Khan' and also our 'Datuk'. Both are meaningless outside of the border in this borderless world of ours
Puan,
ReplyDeleteDi sebalik keinginan untuk mengekalkan kelangsungan diri sendiri dan puak masing-masing maka timbullah sifat ego, tamak, hipokrit, prejudis, pilih bulu dan cakap tak serupa bikin!
Ambil contoh isu purdah iaitu amalan menutup mulut dan hidung dalam kalangan wanita Muslim, yang mana sering dikritik dari berbagai sudut termasuk ancaman kepada keselamatan, ketinggalan zaman, menyusahkan dan tidak sesuai dengan itu, ini dan bla, bla.
Walhal kalau difikirkan semula, kenapa golongan yang tidak memakai purdah perlu ambil pusing terhadap apa yang dilakukan oleh golongan yang berpurdah, sedangkan itu adalah hak mereka untuk berbuat perkara yang mereka anggap betul, mengikut saranan agama dan demi kebaikan mereka jua!
Kini dengan turunnya wabak selesema babi (H1N1), semua orang diwajibkan memakai 'purdah' muka, iaitu menutup mulut dan hidung atau dalam bahasa perubatan memakai surgical mask (topeng mulut dan hidung), bukan saja dalam rumah, di tempat awam, di dalam kapal terbang malah di tempat sekuriti tertinggi seperti di Pentagon sekalipun!
Nah, dulu, kalaulah mereka yang menutup mulut dan hidung (berpurdah) ini menaiki pesawat terbang atau masuk ke kompleks sekuriti tertinggi di negara Barat, sudah tentu dihalau tanpa kompromi. Cumanya sekarang bagaimana? Apakah ada 'Mat Salleh' yang berani mengatakan pemakaian topeng mulut dan hidung (surgical mask) adalah satu ancaman keselamatan dalam konteks yang disebutkan tadi?
Apa ini? Tidakkah ini membuktikn manusia adalah kebanyakannya mewarisi sifat hipokrit, prejudis dan cakap tidak serupa bikin?
p/s: Apapun saya juga seperti puan iaitu meminati ramai hero Bollywood ( SRK pastinya), Kung Fu termasuk Anita Mui. Bagi yang lupa, konsert Anita Mui telah disiarkan beberapa kali di TV3 sebelum dan selepas pemergiannya.
sahabat.
That is the problems with big headed assholes..If they can breeze thru M'sian immigration..doesn't mean they can just walk pass USA.
ReplyDeleteWhothef2ck is he?. Just an actor lah. Somebosy should tell that Khan fler to get some diplomatic credential if he needs vip treatment.
My Name is Khan - I can really relate to this movie as my son is also having "Asperger Syndrome" . SRK was really excellent and marvelous in showing the asperger character - It is as if looking at my son's behaviour on screen - naive, honest, funny ,weird and most of all loveable...
ReplyDeleteMama Hazim