'I think this is cry-baby syndrome'

Anyone who has read the lengthy diatribe authored by Shah Rukh Khan, which was recently printed in a magazine and has since gone viral on the Internet, has witnessed the star at his eloquent best.

With this article — predictably titled ‘Being a Khan’ — Shah Rukh has once more harped on a subject which few, save for himself, seem to remember – the fact that he belongs to a ‘religious minority’.

But this hasn’t gone down terribly well with many Bangaloreans. There have been varied reactions to the piece but the most common, it seems, is the refrain of ‘What does he know?’ Truth be told, it’s a little difficult to believe that a star of Shah Rukh’s stature is being perpetually victimised because of his religion — when he isn’t frequenting award ceremonies and cutting ribbons at high-end stores, that is. In fact, Raghuram, an advertising professional, points out that public support has actually carried him from humble beginnings to the status he enjoys today.

“His statements are an insult to secularism in the country. After all, the response of the public has turned him into a star — more than a serious issue, I think this is a classic example of the cry-baby syndrome,” he states, adding, “if Shah Rukh Khan thinks he’s being victimised, he should take a moment to look at other Muslim stars in the country — they don’t seem to have an issue, do they?”

Like Raghuram, many believe that the sudden outpouring of emotion is nothing more than a cry for attention. Sharmila, a professional, observes, “The problem with this sort of publicity stunt is that it detracts from the real issue. I can’t state positively whether religious minorities do face serious discrimination — but while people are busy arguing whether a star, who’s biggest worry is whether he’ll gross more at the box-office than his peers, is a victim, they forget to look at the millions of ordinary people who have a larger likelihood of facing problems.”

Shah Rukh’s article has raised the kind of storm that only a person of Shah Rukh’s stature is capable of creating — ranging from across-the-border comments on security to scathing responses from closer home. The man of the moment, of course, has back-tracked and now admits that he feels safe and happy in India — but unfortunately, the reaction to his comments haven’t died down yet.

Ameen E Mudassar, a City-based career counsellor, feels that this sort of attention is exactly what the issue doesn’t need. Every person, he feels, tries to air his or her opinions on a particular platform and since Shah Rukh is a celebrity, many people have responded to his statements.

“People like me don’t face any problem because we work in a professional environment and don’t perceive ourselves as being part of a religious minority. If Shah Rukh is complaining about being detained at international airports, it’s because as an individual, he feels hurt about it. Either way, I think this issue has been over-hyped. It has nothing to do with either the Indian or Pakistani governments — it has been blown out of proportion,” he concludes.