We are witnessing the Mother of All Reality Shows.
The Secularists are back with a Bang!!! That too when the opportunity is presented by none other than "King" Khan, how can the "secular" media fritter it away?
The 'incident' that made our secularists go hammer & tong for "individual liberty" is this. Whether it is electronic media or print media or the secular politicians, nobody missed the opportunity to showcase their "secular" credentials for yet another time.
Stopping a tourist for routine checking happens all over the world and it is the prerogative of any country to do the checking/verification/frisking, as it deems fit. The only exception being people who come under diplomatic or protocol immunity - like the Heads of States and Governments.
When it comes to America or other Western nations, they first define the process & make sure there are no exceptions except as aforesaid. In India the situation is entirely different. The only people who are subjected to all checks are the ordinary people, who nevertheless are willing to undergo the same, having been the main victims of terrorism or have seen live acts of terrorism through irresponsible media. But, our security processes or systems have more exceptions to them than what has been prescribed, Yes, many people in politics or adminstration, or close to either of the beasts, though not eligible, get VIP or VVIP treatment, even at the hands of security personnel, which is very bad.
And this kind of VIP treatment is what has cultivated the "Ego-maniacs" like Shah Rukh Khan. SRK, who is used to getting VIP treatment at the hands of Indian security agenices, by being exempted from frisking & other routine security measures, is now "shocked" that he was held up in an American airport for, hold your breadth, "two hours" for questioning. It has subsequently been clarified that out of these "two hours", SRK had to wait "more than an hour" for the arrival of his baggage.
Though "secular media" and "secular politicians" are happy to jump to the "rescue" of SR "Khan" so that they can get super TRP ratings as well as get into public limelight, there are so many other people like this man, who are also in public limelight and who also undergo such routine check-ups at airports all across the world but they have never made any fuss about these things, which are happening routinely.
So, why is all this fuss created now by SRK for a routine check-up? Knowing all these Bollywooders, they generally don't miss an opportunity to promote their movies. Do you remember how BCCI reacted angrily to SRK appearing at a cricket stadium when an ODI or T20 match was being played a couple of years back, just because it happened to be held on the eve of a SRK movie's release? SRK also unabshedly used that opportunity of live TV coverage and the crowd's excitement whenever his face was shown on the stadium's big screen.
Could it be for a similar reason why SRK is now "playing up" his "detention"(?) at an American airport, alleging that the detention is due to his surname ending with "Khan". I have very strong suspicion that SRK, the businessman, is at play here. Obviously, SRK might not have expected that he will be detained in an American airport like this since he must be a frequent traveller & also a famous Bollywood icon, known well internationally in recent years. In fact, he even recently attended a shooting of his "movie-under-production" in different US cities. But, having been detained unexpectedly, the businessman in SRK, must have found it "an opportunity not to be lost foolishly".
So, the actor-cum-producer SRK, utilised his detention and the consequent media attention & public reaction to the hilt & started playing up the "Khan" part more and more. Though the US Immigration officials have swiftly denied that criticism and said it is a routine check-up done for every tourist to the country, neither the media nor SRK are willing to let go the opportunity, it seems.
Media, particularly of the "secular" variety, in India, has been starved of a "Muslim victim" at the hands of the "Imperialist" Americans, for a long long time. Particularly after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks of last year, the 'media shenanigans' have acquired a public despise to such levels that the "secular media" was in hiding & was afraid to come out so openly and blatantly, lest they will be mistaken by the public to be abetting Pakistan's objectives. Even though a recent news came out & rocked the Indian Parliament that India's Former President and a Decent Human Being, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was frisked by an American Airline in contravention of Diplomatic Protocol for which the airline duly apologised, the "secular media" could do nothing - yes they simply could not whip up anti-Muslim fervour like they are doing now - since Dr. Kalam, DIDN'T MAKE ANY FUSS ABOUT THE INCIDENT, neither when it happened a few months before nor when the matter came out in public now. A truely decent human being that he is, Dr. Kalam, took this matter in his stride and EVEN SUBJECTED HIMSELF TO THE FRISKING BUT NEVER MADE ANY FUSS ABOUT IT. So, he did not give our "secular media" any opportunity to play their favourite game.
Compare the behaviour of Dr. Kalam, who has the Diplomatic Right NOT TO BE FRISKED but subjected himself voluntarily without any fuss when he was asked to be frisked by an American airline with that of an "Ego-manical Bollywood actor" SRK, who DOES NOT ENJOY ANY DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY LIKE DR. KALAM, and hence had to undergo check-ups like any other ordinary citizens, IS MAKING A BIG HUGH & CRY ABOUT IT now & all our "secular media" has news only about it for the last two days.
Many people may not know what is the reason for SRK to rake up the issue like this, when he must be aware that, though he is a known and popular international figure he is not immune from any checking at immigration. But, like I suspect, general public will also start seeing through the game SRK, with the help of secular media, is playing now, once they realise one simple matter. That is, the name of the "film-under-production" in which SRK is acting & also co-producing along with famous director Karan Johar. The name of the movie-in-the-making is "My Name is Khan".
"My Name is Khan" (MNIK), I hear, is not the usual KJ type Punjabi "love-family melodrama-marriage-happy ending" movie. As the name suggests, the protagonist of MNIK is an Indian Muslim whose name ends with "Khan' and who suffers from a type of autism. The story happens in America. Because of his name & his inability to talk freely due to his neuro-disease, "Khan" gets into trouble & detained by authorities on "suspicion". Yes, the story, more or less, goes like the "actual" SRK-related story now coming out from America in the last two days.
So, now do you understand the "background" of this whole episode? With the help of media frenzy, SRK & KJ will be attempting to make a "financial killing" in USA & other Western markets through MNIK. There are huge NRIs and many non-NRIS, who will also be curious to know about this Indian actor, when MNIK is released by the end of the year or early next year now that SRK has become even more "famous'" with this episode. Now, all of us can look out for many more hours of sound-bytes from SRK, KJ and all Bollywooders worth their name, on this "SRK Detention" episode on our "secular media", to help promote SRK's next movie "My Name is Khan". What shameless creatures & cut-throat businessmen these sharks are? By whipping up anti-American fashion under the guise of a supposedly "anti-Muslim Americans " because his name ends with the name "Khan", which incidentally is also the theme of his forthcoming film, the businessman in SRK, has taken over the discourse.
Come on, India & NRIs, go ahead & get drenched in SRK-whipped "anti-American" frency & shell out dollars & rupees to watch his forthcoming "MNIK", which is now assured of atleast becoming a hit, if not a Super Hit, thanks to an innocuous American Immigration Officer, doing his routine duty of checking a tourist. For all you & I know, that American Immigration officer, may soon be getting a "bouquet" from an "unexpected" friend for the immense help & promotion he has done, albeit unknowingly.
The 'incident' that made our secularists go hammer & tong for "individual liberty" is this. Whether it is electronic media or print media or the secular politicians, nobody missed the opportunity to showcase their "secular" credentials for yet another time.
Stopping a tourist for routine checking happens all over the world and it is the prerogative of any country to do the checking/verification/frisking, as it deems fit. The only exception being people who come under diplomatic or protocol immunity - like the Heads of States and Governments.
When it comes to America or other Western nations, they first define the process & make sure there are no exceptions except as aforesaid. In India the situation is entirely different. The only people who are subjected to all checks are the ordinary people, who nevertheless are willing to undergo the same, having been the main victims of terrorism or have seen live acts of terrorism through irresponsible media. But, our security processes or systems have more exceptions to them than what has been prescribed, Yes, many people in politics or adminstration, or close to either of the beasts, though not eligible, get VIP or VVIP treatment, even at the hands of security personnel, which is very bad.
And this kind of VIP treatment is what has cultivated the "Ego-maniacs" like Shah Rukh Khan. SRK, who is used to getting VIP treatment at the hands of Indian security agenices, by being exempted from frisking & other routine security measures, is now "shocked" that he was held up in an American airport for, hold your breadth, "two hours" for questioning. It has subsequently been clarified that out of these "two hours", SRK had to wait "more than an hour" for the arrival of his baggage.
Though "secular media" and "secular politicians" are happy to jump to the "rescue" of SR "Khan" so that they can get super TRP ratings as well as get into public limelight, there are so many other people like this man, who are also in public limelight and who also undergo such routine check-ups at airports all across the world but they have never made any fuss about these things, which are happening routinely.
So, why is all this fuss created now by SRK for a routine check-up? Knowing all these Bollywooders, they generally don't miss an opportunity to promote their movies. Do you remember how BCCI reacted angrily to SRK appearing at a cricket stadium when an ODI or T20 match was being played a couple of years back, just because it happened to be held on the eve of a SRK movie's release? SRK also unabshedly used that opportunity of live TV coverage and the crowd's excitement whenever his face was shown on the stadium's big screen.
Could it be for a similar reason why SRK is now "playing up" his "detention"(?) at an American airport, alleging that the detention is due to his surname ending with "Khan". I have very strong suspicion that SRK, the businessman, is at play here. Obviously, SRK might not have expected that he will be detained in an American airport like this since he must be a frequent traveller & also a famous Bollywood icon, known well internationally in recent years. In fact, he even recently attended a shooting of his "movie-under-production" in different US cities. But, having been detained unexpectedly, the businessman in SRK, must have found it "an opportunity not to be lost foolishly".
So, the actor-cum-producer SRK, utilised his detention and the consequent media attention & public reaction to the hilt & started playing up the "Khan" part more and more. Though the US Immigration officials have swiftly denied that criticism and said it is a routine check-up done for every tourist to the country, neither the media nor SRK are willing to let go the opportunity, it seems.
Media, particularly of the "secular" variety, in India, has been starved of a "Muslim victim" at the hands of the "Imperialist" Americans, for a long long time. Particularly after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks of last year, the 'media shenanigans' have acquired a public despise to such levels that the "secular media" was in hiding & was afraid to come out so openly and blatantly, lest they will be mistaken by the public to be abetting Pakistan's objectives. Even though a recent news came out & rocked the Indian Parliament that India's Former President and a Decent Human Being, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was frisked by an American Airline in contravention of Diplomatic Protocol for which the airline duly apologised, the "secular media" could do nothing - yes they simply could not whip up anti-Muslim fervour like they are doing now - since Dr. Kalam, DIDN'T MAKE ANY FUSS ABOUT THE INCIDENT, neither when it happened a few months before nor when the matter came out in public now. A truely decent human being that he is, Dr. Kalam, took this matter in his stride and EVEN SUBJECTED HIMSELF TO THE FRISKING BUT NEVER MADE ANY FUSS ABOUT IT. So, he did not give our "secular media" any opportunity to play their favourite game.
Compare the behaviour of Dr. Kalam, who has the Diplomatic Right NOT TO BE FRISKED but subjected himself voluntarily without any fuss when he was asked to be frisked by an American airline with that of an "Ego-manical Bollywood actor" SRK, who DOES NOT ENJOY ANY DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY LIKE DR. KALAM, and hence had to undergo check-ups like any other ordinary citizens, IS MAKING A BIG HUGH & CRY ABOUT IT now & all our "secular media" has news only about it for the last two days.
Many people may not know what is the reason for SRK to rake up the issue like this, when he must be aware that, though he is a known and popular international figure he is not immune from any checking at immigration. But, like I suspect, general public will also start seeing through the game SRK, with the help of secular media, is playing now, once they realise one simple matter. That is, the name of the "film-under-production" in which SRK is acting & also co-producing along with famous director Karan Johar. The name of the movie-in-the-making is "My Name is Khan".
"My Name is Khan" (MNIK), I hear, is not the usual KJ type Punjabi "love-family melodrama-marriage-happy ending" movie. As the name suggests, the protagonist of MNIK is an Indian Muslim whose name ends with "Khan' and who suffers from a type of autism. The story happens in America. Because of his name & his inability to talk freely due to his neuro-disease, "Khan" gets into trouble & detained by authorities on "suspicion". Yes, the story, more or less, goes like the "actual" SRK-related story now coming out from America in the last two days.
So, now do you understand the "background" of this whole episode? With the help of media frenzy, SRK & KJ will be attempting to make a "financial killing" in USA & other Western markets through MNIK. There are huge NRIs and many non-NRIS, who will also be curious to know about this Indian actor, when MNIK is released by the end of the year or early next year now that SRK has become even more "famous'" with this episode. Now, all of us can look out for many more hours of sound-bytes from SRK, KJ and all Bollywooders worth their name, on this "SRK Detention" episode on our "secular media", to help promote SRK's next movie "My Name is Khan". What shameless creatures & cut-throat businessmen these sharks are? By whipping up anti-American fashion under the guise of a supposedly "anti-Muslim Americans " because his name ends with the name "Khan", which incidentally is also the theme of his forthcoming film, the businessman in SRK, has taken over the discourse.
Come on, India & NRIs, go ahead & get drenched in SRK-whipped "anti-American" frency & shell out dollars & rupees to watch his forthcoming "MNIK", which is now assured of atleast becoming a hit, if not a Super Hit, thanks to an innocuous American Immigration Officer, doing his routine duty of checking a tourist. For all you & I know, that American Immigration officer, may soon be getting a "bouquet" from an "unexpected" friend for the immense help & promotion he has done, albeit unknowingly.
