Bollywood Mega-Star Questioned at Newark

Travel Blog  •  Eva Holland  •  08.17.09 | 1:52 PM ET

“My Name is Khan” poster via Bollywood Hungama

Shah Rukh Khan is one of Bollywood’s best-known stars, and his apparent detention for questioning at Newark Liberty International Airport this weekend has touched off a minor diplomatic incident between the U.S. and India. The silver lining for the actor? Plenty of free publicity for “My Name is Khan,” his upcoming movie about—wait for it—an Indian traveler’s struggles with racial profiling in America.


Eva Holland is co-editor of World Hum. She is a former associate editor at Up Here and Up Here Business magazines, and a contributor to Vela. She's based in Canada's Yukon territory.


5 Comments for Bollywood Mega-Star Questioned at Newark

Robin Yap 08.17.09 | 2:22 PM ET

What we need is another American Bashing from India. Our Homeland Security officers are just doing their job - our nation’s safety from terrorists is out main priority. Just because he is a famous Bollywood
Star does not exempt him from detail security check at our ports of entry.
I am a Brad Pitt fan and please stop comparing him to Brad Pitt - he is nowhere close to Brad Pitt !

Mary Arulanantham 08.17.09 | 5:00 PM ET

Please, India, get over yourself. My husband, a Sri Lankan Tamil native, has been detained numerous times over the years at American airport security. He hates it,  but shrugs it off. Meanwhile, in our very ethnically mixed group of international family travellers, guess who has been stopped for the full bag search twice (once in Colombo, and once in Bangalore): me, the overweight, middle aged white woman. After spreading all my stuff across the table, all they could do was ask about the use of tampons and my pocket sized sewing kit. Are we sure Shah Rukh Khan isn’t getting a little extra PR for his movie release?

Jennifer 08.18.09 | 8:12 AM ET

This guy might be famous in Bollywood but, let’s face it, virtually no one knows who he is here so why should anyone care in the US that he was detained and questioned?!  Do people in India really think that everyone in the US would have a hissy if Brad Pitt were detained and questioned in India?  Really?  I think people would find it amusing and probably kind of silly, but most would just go on with their lives!  I wonder what professor Gates would think about this, or even Bob Dillon?  Oh, wait, Bob Dillon isn’t a minority!  Funny thing isn’t it, he was still questioned despite his notoriety and lack of skin color!

henry young 08.18.09 | 3:02 PM ET

That’s terrible, when will we put a stop to this nonsense. Yes, I understand that we need to protect our country, but if he says he’s a STAR, then let him go by w/o any hassles. What will he think of we as Americans?

Ann Cook 08.19.09 | 12:50 PM ET

I do feel bad he got detained, but after 9-11 homeland security can not take any risks.  Has everyone forgotten that we are still at war? Unfortunately, there will be inconveniences, even for celebrities and diplomats.  I am sure everyone would rather have an inconvenience than have a plane blown up.

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