Bollywood Star Shah Rukh Khan Enrages Extremist Party; 'My Name is Khan' Premiere Endangered

Mumbai, India. Biggest Bollywood film star, Shah Rukh Khan, 44, is under political attack by Bollywood bullier Balasaheb Thackeray, 84, founder of the extreme right-wing political party Shiva Sena. Thackeray has threatened to disrupt the debut screening today of Khan's new film My Name is Khan, which could result in a dangerous standoff between police and Shiva Sena despite the approaching impotency of the forty-three-year-old party now led by Thackeray's son Uddhav.

Thackeray's vengeful fury was triggered when actor Shah Rukh Khan expressed his humiliation that during an auction for the Indian Premiere League (IPL), no one bid on any of the eleven exceptional Pakistani cricket players who were among the Indian players up for auction on January 19, 2010. Khan is part owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders. "We are known to invite everyone. We should have. If there were any issues, they should have been put on board earlier. Everything can happen respectfully. Everyday we blame Pakistan, everyday Pakistan blames us. It is an issue," Khan said.

The Shiva Sena party- which represents the richest and third largest state in India, Maharahstra- hates the Pakistanis and have demanded that Khan apologize for showing support of the Pakistanis. "Let us see how he [Khan] dares to take in Pakistani [cricket] players. We will see to it. We will not tolerate anybody praising Pakistanis. Balasaheb [Thackeray] has already given instructions on the issue. You will see what Shiva Sena will do in the coming days," said Shiva Sena politician Sanjay Raut, a member of India's Parliament.

Shah Rukh Khan stands by his remarks but he has expressed regret over the controversy to the film's collaborators, which includes film producer Gauri Khan- Khan's glamorous gorgeous wife. In London, England last week for the premiere of My Name is Khan, Khan's message to Shiva Sena was to direct the party's censure toward Khan himself and not the film. "I request everybody to leave the film alone and deal with what I have said as an individual," Khan told London reporters.

More than 1,800 Shiva Sena protesters against Khan's film were arrested within the last three days. Owners of single-screen theaters have decided to not premiere My Name Is Khan while the Shiva Sena continue to rail against Khan's comments re Pakistani cricket players. However, multiplex owners in Mumbai, a city of 14 million people, are convening today to decide whether or not they will premiere My Name is Khan, now the eye of a volatile political storm.

The Shiva Sena are of Hindu religion and are considered anti-Muslim. Khan is of Muslim descent, he is not anti-Hindu. The hotheaded Shiva Sena are enraged. The diplomatic Shah Rukh Khan is calling for peace. Maybe the Shiva Sena could learn a lesson from Khan.

UPDATE: Mumbai (Bombay); February 13- My Name is Kahn opened in a few multiplex cinemas amid tight security controlling Shiva Sena protesting. It played to full houses.

Sources: BBC News; NY Times; Sports; One India; wikipedia; despardes.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4dreams/ / CC BY 2.0