Obama should invite Shah Rukh for dinner, says Shekhar Kapur

Filmmaker criticises Ambika Soni’s comments on SRK episode

Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has criticised Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni's remarks to give a 'tit-for-tat' treatment to the Americans after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was detained at a US airport for two hours.

Giving the example of former president A.P.J. Kalam, who was also frisked in April at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here as he was boarding a flight of US carrier Continental Airlines, Kapur wrote on his blog: "I believe what happened to Shah Rukh was a huge blunder, but what happened to our Abdul Kalam was far, far worse. It happened on Indian soil."

"But I admired the calmness with which Abdul Kalam dealt with the issue himself and displayed so much humility. I expect Shah Rukh to do the same as I am sure he will. Only he can defuse the situation," Kapur posted on his blog.

"Unlike our Cabinet Minister Ambica Soni, who said we should respond with a 'tit for tat'. What are you going to do, Ms Soni? Interrogate every American citizen arriving at our shores for an hour and a half? Or wait for Brad Pitt to arrive here? Cabinet ministers need to make more considered statements," he wrote.

Shah Rukh was on his way to Chicago to attend a function to mark India's Independence Day and was detained for two hours at the Newark airport after US immigration officials spotted the 'Khan' in his name.

Reacting to it, Soni had said: "I have always felt - even when I was frisked there (the US) - that the way they frisk us we should do the same for them here."

Kapur says to make up, US President Obama should invite Shah Rukh Khan for dinner.

"What happened to Shah Rukh is a minor incident which we should protest about, yes. Ensure that this doesn't happen to an Indian public figure like him again and move on," Kapour said.

"And President Obama, adept as he is diplomatically and politically, should invite Shah Rukh to a family dinner over beer and (view) one of his Bollywood films," he added.

Shahrukh detention in US: Obama's effigy burnt in UP

Congress workers today staged a demonstration and burnt the effigy of US President Barack Obama here for detention of Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan at an American airport.

The party workers, who gathered in front of the historic Anand Bhawan, raised slogans against the US administration and termed as an "insult to one billion Indians" the questioning of Khan at Newark airport.

The 43-year-old actor was detained and questioned for two hours at the Newark Airport near New York yesterday.

Shahrukh to star with Barack Obama

Bollywood Baadshah Shahrukh Khan is all set to star with US President Barack Obama. Not quite really but Shahrukh will be seen starring with a lookalike of the US President in his upcoming movie My Name is Khan. The casting crew is in search for an African American who can resemble Obama. The exact nature of the character is not known but sources claim Obama's character play a significant part in the story.

My Name Is Khan is directed by Karan Johar and based on the life of minorities in the United States post 9/11. The movie is currently being shot in San Fransisco and also stars Jimmy Shergill and Sonya Jehan. Interestingly another movie New York which releases this weekend also has a similar plot. My Name is Khan is one of the most anticipated movies of the year as it will have the hit pair of Shahrukh Khan and Kajol in the lead after a gap of 8 years.