Click to play videoNew Delhi: While most of the Bollywood celebrities are upset with what actor Shah Rukh Khan had to go through at a US airport, actor Salman Khan says it is a regular exercise in the US.
"We all go through the same security procedure in the US. It isn't a big deal," said Salman.
SRK was detained for two hours at the Newark airport after US immigration officials spotted the 'Khan' in his name, his aide said.
He was on his way to Chicago to attend a function to mark India's Independence Day.
SRK's close friend and director-choreographer Farah Khan reacted strongly to the incident.
“It is shocking that there is not a single Indian working at that US airport and that they don't know Shah Rukh Khan who is one of the biggest stars of the world. It is good that you take security measures but frisking India's formal president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Azad and then detaining Shah Rukh Khan is a bit ridiculous," she said.
In April, Kalam was also frisked at the Indira Gandhi International Airport as he was boarding a flight of US carrier Continental Airlines.
Talking to CNN-IBN, SRK's close friend and director Karan Johar condemned the incident and said it really worried him and his family.
Here is an excerpt from the interview -
CNN-IBN: First time when you heard about it, were you able to believe that something like this could happen to Shah Rukh Khan?
Karan Johar: I heard this from Shah Rukh himself. He messaged me as soon as he got out of the airport. I was in complete shock when I heard about it. It was really sad because none of us were with him and he was alone with the security guards. It is ironical that I woke up on Independence Day to this news.
CNN-IBN: He told us that he always told you that he doesn't prefer shooting in the US because it involves a lot of paperwork and formalities and now this. So will you go to the US to shoot again?
Karan Johar: What I feel that what happened today (Saturday) is very unfortunate and we need to know why did that happen to him because I think there is no reason that he had to go through all that.
CNN-IBN: Did you speak to his (Shah Rukh) family? He told us that when he spoke to his family his son thought he has been arrested and was very scared.
Karan Johar: It was a very scary news because initially when media reported this news there was a word that he has been arrested and therefore his children would have been scared.
CNN-IBN: It is a coincidence that this happened just before the release of My Name Is Khan, do you think so?
Karan Johar: Sometimes it is just bizarre and strange. No one can think that real and reel life can sometime go this parallel.
Reacting to the incident filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said the incident is not surprising since the US has had a phobia towards Muslims since 9/11.
“US has had a phobia towards Islam since 9/11. They should have some data on frequent travellers. Shah Rukh is a global icon. They (US authorities) should have been a little fair to him.
Actor Priyanka Chopra reacting to the incident on Twitter said: "Shocking, disturbing and downright disgraceful. It is such behavior that fuels hatred n racism. SRK is a world figure for God's sake. Get real."
Music composer Vishal Dadlani also reacted on Twitter saying: "This is plain silly. I mean a quick internet search would tell them what they need to know about SRK. Paranoia breeds stupidity, I guess."
Why the double standards asked actor and filmmaker Farooque Sheikh. "There is heightened conservativeness after 9/11 and sometimes it takes the level of almost paranoia. But if they can do it to former president APJ Abdul Kalam, why not Shah Rukh?” said Sheikh.
Meanwhile, actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi also came out in support of Shah Rukh Khan and said the incident is an insult to the entire nation.
"It is very unfortunate and I think it is very ridiculous. Since they have cracked the name Shah Rukh Khan so it doesn't mean they have to detain him like that," he said.
"It is not only insulting to one individual but to the whole nation. It is a shame for the country and there is no doubt about it and top of it, it is happening on Independence Day," Chiranjeevi added.
"It is really unfortunate and because of it we are very sad and Government should take an immediate action and they should give some kind of privileges to such celebrities or a great man like Dr Kalam. Somewhere it should be there so its happening," he said.
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