GemaSRK
October 29th, 2007, 11:13 PM
My Name is Khan
IslamOnline.net & Newspapers
CAIRO — Inspired by his own personal experience, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will star a new movie on discrimination against people with Muslim second names in the post 9/11 world.
"Internationally, if you have a Muslim surname, you might be considered a terrorist," the Indian Muslim actor told the Mumbai-based English language Daily News & Analysis on Wednesday, October 24.
"My name is Khan" is directed by renowned Indian filmmaker Karan Johar and features six people with Muslim names who are viewed with suspicion and forced to endure extra security checks in international airports six years after the 9/11 attacks.
Shooting was expected to begin early next year and the film to be released in the summer.
A growing number of Muslims are victims of what some call "traveling while a Muslim".
US rights groups say that racial profiling has been on the upswing since 9/11.
More than 500 people are denied entry to the US daily because of their identity.
"Not In India"
The top Bollywood actor says the movie touches him personally.
"At London airport, every time I go, people recognize me, but they see my second name, and they give me an extra checking."
Khan, who acted in more than 50 movies, remembers that before 9/11 his famous name used to facilitate things for him and his movie crew at airports.
"Earlier, my assistant Subhash used to be stopped, because of the way he looks, so I used to say ok, I will take your bags, it is better for me.
"These days, I am the one who’s stopped, so it's okay, he carries my bags for me," Khan laughed.
He argues that this kind of discrimination does not happen in Hindu-majority India.
"It is really stupid even to imagine that such kind of differentiation happens in India," said the Bollywood star.
"It is most secular and there is no difference between a Khan and a Kumar here."
There are nearly 140 million Muslims in India, constituting over 13 percent of its billion-strong population.
Indian Muslims have for decades complained of social and economic neglect and oppression.
They account for less than seven percent of public service employees, only five percent of railways workers, around four percent of banking employees and there are only 29,000 Muslims in India's 1.3 million-strong military.
The Washington Timesreported on Tuesday, August 21, that institutionalized discrimination against Muslims in India is promoting many to adopt Hindu names and identities just to be able to eke out a living.
Source:http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...News/NWELayout
IslamOnline.net & Newspapers
CAIRO — Inspired by his own personal experience, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will star a new movie on discrimination against people with Muslim second names in the post 9/11 world.
"Internationally, if you have a Muslim surname, you might be considered a terrorist," the Indian Muslim actor told the Mumbai-based English language Daily News & Analysis on Wednesday, October 24.
"My name is Khan" is directed by renowned Indian filmmaker Karan Johar and features six people with Muslim names who are viewed with suspicion and forced to endure extra security checks in international airports six years after the 9/11 attacks.
Shooting was expected to begin early next year and the film to be released in the summer.
A growing number of Muslims are victims of what some call "traveling while a Muslim".
US rights groups say that racial profiling has been on the upswing since 9/11.
More than 500 people are denied entry to the US daily because of their identity.
"Not In India"
The top Bollywood actor says the movie touches him personally.
"At London airport, every time I go, people recognize me, but they see my second name, and they give me an extra checking."
Khan, who acted in more than 50 movies, remembers that before 9/11 his famous name used to facilitate things for him and his movie crew at airports.
"Earlier, my assistant Subhash used to be stopped, because of the way he looks, so I used to say ok, I will take your bags, it is better for me.
"These days, I am the one who’s stopped, so it's okay, he carries my bags for me," Khan laughed.
He argues that this kind of discrimination does not happen in Hindu-majority India.
"It is really stupid even to imagine that such kind of differentiation happens in India," said the Bollywood star.
"It is most secular and there is no difference between a Khan and a Kumar here."
There are nearly 140 million Muslims in India, constituting over 13 percent of its billion-strong population.
Indian Muslims have for decades complained of social and economic neglect and oppression.
They account for less than seven percent of public service employees, only five percent of railways workers, around four percent of banking employees and there are only 29,000 Muslims in India's 1.3 million-strong military.
The Washington Timesreported on Tuesday, August 21, that institutionalized discrimination against Muslims in India is promoting many to adopt Hindu names and identities just to be able to eke out a living.
Source:http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/S...News/NWELayout