Shah Rukh Khan too features in leaked US embassy cable

NEW DELHI/LONDON - Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and the threat by the Shiv Sena to ban screenings of his film “My Name is Khan” found mention in a US embassy cable that was leaked by WikiLeaks.

“My Name is Khan” is a 2010 movie made by Karan Johar in which Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol played the lead roles.

“The Shiv Sena had threatened to ban screenings of Shah Rukh Khan’s upcoming movie, ‘My Name is Khan’, because Shah Rukh Khan publicly lamented the absence of Pakistani cricket players in India’s professional cricket league for the coming season,” says the cable dated Feb 22, 2010.

The cable posted in the Guardian newspaper said that Shiv Sena goons burnt posters of the movie and protested in front of his home, asking Khan to “move to Pakistan”.

“Khan himself did not bid on any Pakistani players as co-owner of one of the frachises,” it said.

While some theatre owners refrained from screening the film on its opening day due to security concerns, “a show of force by the police convinced theatres to roll out a full release” the next day.

“With protests and controversy generating far more international buzz than the typical Bollywood movie, Khan’s new movie opened to packed audiences in Mumbai and elsewhere,” it added.