Bollywood Baadshah Shah Rukh Khan is a successful actor, among the richest actors in the world, a sharp businessman, and is known for a lot of things, but subtlety surely ain’t one of them.
He may have mellowed down a notch, and at times is diplomatic nowadays, that wasn’t the case earlier on when he was seen as an arrogant person by many. He’s witty but many have also been offended by his wit, and in some cases by his behaviour.
The superstar of Bollywood, King Khan have had his share of controversies; here are the top ones.
SRK-Salman Khan
Perhaps, the most famous of them all. There was a time when they called each other brothers. But today, despite their patch-up, Salman says “SRK and I can never be friends”. Read the full story here…
SRK-Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan is quite close to Salman, but never shared a warm rapport with SRK.
During a promotional event of his TV debut Satyamev Jayate, Aamir Khan praised his colleagues who made it big on TV like Amitabh Bachchan (Kaun Banega Crorepati), Hrithik Roshan (Just Dance) and Salman Khan (Dus Ka Dum). He simply forgot to mention SRK, who has hosted shows like KBC, Zor Ka Jhatka and Kya Aap Panchvi Paas Se Tez Hain. When asked about SRK, the PK star ignored the question.
Aamir Khan had also reacted to SRK’s detention saying: “I have never faced such problem.”…perhaps adding fuel to the fire!
The only time when Aamir openly took a dig at SRK was when he posted on his blog that a dog called Shah Rukh was licking his legs: “Shah Rukh is licking my feet and I am feeding him biscuits every now and then. What more can I ask for? Now, before you jump to any conclusions let me add that Shah Rukh is the name of our dog. And before you jump to any further conclusions let me add that I had nothing to do with naming him. In fact Shah Rukh is the dog of the caretakers of our house.”
SRK conveyed his displeasure to Aamir over the blog post, and mentioned that his children were quite hurt reading those comments. Since then their digs at each other have been very subtle.
SRK-Priyanka Chopra
It was perhaps the first time in his career that family man Shah Rukh Khan found himself in a link-up controversy, involving Priyanka Chopra (there were also rumours that the two got secretly married).
While SRK always maintained a dignified silence over the issue, at a camera launch event, when a reporter asked PC about her alleged link-up with SRK, the ‘Mary Kom’ star lost it and said with a straight face: “By being extremely loud, doesn’t mean I’ll answer your questions sir. Thank You.”
But she had admitted on Karan Johar’s television show ‘Koffee with Karan’ that SRK was the man who made her blush. Shahid and the filmmaker had even teased her with SRK’s name.
Obviously, Priyanka Chopra is not on good terms with SRK’s wife Gauri Khan because of these rumours. Gauri Khan even chose to stay away from the IPL action, even though SRK’s team Kolkata Knigh Riders were doing well one season, Gauri wasn’t there by her hubby’s side to cheer and support the team. SRK was also spotted with his sister Shenaz and his children Aryan and Suhana at a nightspot in Mumbai without Gauri Khan.
SRK-Shirish Kunder
Movie ‘Happy New Year’ may have brought together SRK and Farah Khan, but the RA.One actor had once assaulted Farah Khan’s husband and filmmaker Shirish Kunder at Sanjay Dutt’s Agneepath bash. Farah Khan also SMSed reporters saying: “Shahrukh has always told me that physical abuse is the worst way 2 sort out a problem, n that its means the person who’s hitting has either a personal or professional crisis going on, n it saddens me 2 see him doing the same (sic).”
Later, Shirish and Farah, along with Farah’s brother Sajid Khan, and common friend Sajid Nadiadwala, went to SRK’s home, Mannat, and things were sorted out between the two.
Shah Rukh Khan-Big B, Amar Singh
Where do you seat senior actors like Amitabh Bachchan at awards function? Obviously in the front row! However, during an awards function in 2007, when Amar Singh found out that he and Big B were not given the front row seats, Amar Singh objected to it (he said at least Mr Bachchan should be seated in the front). Shah Rukh Khan allegedly supported the event organisers, but things were eventually sorted out in the end.
SRK-Abhijeet Bhattacharya
In his earlier days, playback singer had sung several hit songs for King Khan, but now even Abhijeet Bhattacharya seems to be in SRK’s enemy list. In an interview, the singer openly expressed his displeasure saying SRK should apologise to him for not giving him due credit for the movies ‘Main Hoon Na’ and ‘Om Shanti Om’.
To which, SRK replied in his trademark satirical style “Isn’t it a coincidence that whoever doesn’t want to work with me becomes famous?”
SRK Banned from Wankhede Stadium
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials lodged a police complaint against Kolkata Knight Riders’ co-owner Shah Rukh Khan for his alleged misbehaviour at the Wankhede Stadium. They even decided to ban him for life from entering the premises.
“He misbehaved and abused the MCA security personnel as well as MCA officials, including our president Vilasrao Deshmukh, after the IPL match,” said MCA secretary Nitin Dalal.
Shiv Sena Threatened to Stall Release of My Name is Khan
SRK faced the ire of Shiv Sena after he stated that he would like Pakistani cricketers to participate in the third season of Indian Premiere League. The political party even threatened to stall the release of his film ‘My Name Is Khan’.
Shah Rukh Khan reacted on Twitter saying: “Sad my statements are seen as a stand against a group instead of a stand for myself and my individuality. Differences in ideology should be grounds for debates & discussion. A must for freedom of thought. To see it any other way is so unfortunate.”
Hafiz Saeed invited SRK to Pak
In an interview to Outlook Turning Points, Shah Rukh Khan said, “I sometimes become the inadvertent object of political leaders who choose to make me a symbol of all that they think is wrong and unpatriotic about Muslims in India… I have been accused of bearing allegiance to our neighbouring nation rather than my own country…”
Reacting to his statements, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed has asked Shah Rukh Khan to move to Pakistan if he feels ‘insecure’ in India, and assured that the Bollywood actor will “enjoy all the freedom that he wants in this country.”
SRK Detained at US Airport
In August 2009, SRK was detained at the Newark Airport in New Jersey for nearly two hours because of his last name. The actor was visiting the country to attend a South Asian event where he was the guest of honour and was released after Congress MP Rajiv Shukla spoke to the authorities in the US.
King Khan was detained again in April at a New York airport by immigration officials after arriving from India in a private plane with Nita Ambani, to address students at Yale University. While Nita, wife of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and the rest of their group were cleared immediately, Khan was stopped and was given immigration clearance only after about two hours.
SRk however took it sportingly the second time and laughed it off with a generous dose of sarcasm. “Whenever I start feeling too arrogant, I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom,” Khan said, addressing the students at the Yale University where he was honoured as a Chubb Fellow.
SRK vs Sourav Ganguly
Many could see the logic when SRK decided to drop struggling veteran cricketer Sourav Ganguly from his IPL team in the fourth edition of the tournament, but because of that, even the most diehard SRK fan started hating the KKR team and boycotted the match held in their home ground at Eden Gardens.
Sunil Gavaskar-SRK
Sunil Gavaskar and Kolkata Knight Riders’ owner Shah Rukh Khan had a dirty war of words in 2009. In his column for the Hindustan Times, Gavaskar termed John Buchanan (coach of KKR) a “failed former cricketer making a living telling international players to do what he couldn’t do”.
Khan did come to Buchanan’s defence, saying there was a marked difference in the time Gavaskar played and now. “I respect Mr Gavaskar – his knowledge about cricket is a billion times better than me,” Khan told reporters in Mumbai. “But this is an era where Mr Gavaskar has not indulged in; nevertheless his knowledge about the game does allow him to make comments. This is a new format that’s being tried out. Please give it some breathing space. I am the owner of the team, I bought it. If he wants to implement something, let him buy a team.”
SRK Caught Smoking in Public
Shahrukh Khan is a chain smoker, and has been spotted smoking in public several times. He has been trying to give up on that habit for a long time, but has not been successful with it yet.
Perhaps Gauri Khan should take some cue from Michelle Obama (wife of US president Obama Barack), as after marriage President Obama totally gave up smoking despite being a heavy smoker before marriage.
When SRK was caught smoking in Sawai Maan Singh Stadium in Jaipur, a complaint was filed against him.
SRK vs Shobhaa De
Post the Mumbai terror attacks, write Shobhaa De said, “I read ‘Shah Rukh Khan’s on BBC Asia’ (reported in a local tabloid) with a great deal of disappointment. The report begins by quoting him stating, “I tried to keep away from commenting on all this…” He later goes on to say, “Youngsters need to understand Islam and respect the religion in the right way.” Yes, Shah Rukh! You are not telling your fans something they don’t know! Also, “…no agenda should be attached to any kind of religion.” Thank you SRK, for stating the obvious. And for being so very politically correct…non-committal…during the most violent attack on Mumbai – the very city that has made you. I wanted to hear some words of comfort for those who died; some strong condemnation of those who committed this crime. This report made no mention of any such thing. And it was the only published comment from SRK to date.”
SRK was of course livid and replied to De’s comments on a chat show. “She’s a joke. She can’t be taken seriously. I mean, I like her, but at the end of the day she’s cynicism dressed in a designer sari. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She wakes up every morning and decides who she should target that day, so that she can sell a few more saris. Nobody can tell me what to do. I live my life with piety and honesty. I feel sorry for Shobhaa.”
Did SRK Really Go for Foetal Sex Determination?
There were speculations that SRK-Gauri went in for sex determination test for their now born son ‘Abram khan’. The Maharashtra government did order a probe into the allegation, but it was later found out that the celebrity couple were not at fault, and the staff at the hospital in their exuberance revealed the sex of the child.
SRK Dancing with Lady Cop Creates Controversy; Was it Gender Bias?
SRK is the brand ambassador of Bengal and owner of the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders, so when he was invited as a guest by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a function to honour the brave police officers of Kolkata, people would definitely have expected him to entertain them.
Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan at a dance sequence during the Kolkata Police Programme in Kolkata PTI
And SRK not only interacted with the audience but he also entertained them, but that quickly turned into a big controversy. Why? Because he danced with a lady constable and even lifted her while dancing on the songs of Jab Tak Hain Jaan. And because the officer was in her formal uniform on the stage, there are many who’re also pointing out if the act meant disrespect to the police uniform, in all that fun and frolic.
Disrespect to Uniform?
In the past, the state police had taken strong action against staff who indulged in dancing while wearing their formal uniform at a social function, so obviously some of the top police officers are really not amused. But although it seems to be a clear violation of norms laid down in the police rule book, the matter is most likely to be hushed up as evident from quotes by top police officers, and considering that fact that it was SRK on stage (who has close links with Mamta Banerjee).
SRK Has Done It Before
In his defense, Shahrukh Khan feels that some people are objecting not because the police personnel was in uniform but because it was a woman who shook a leg with him.
“It is strange, some years back when I was shooting for ‘Veer Zaara’, I had danced and had fun with the jawans who were in uniform… I had entertained them. In 60s-70s, actors and performers used to go on border and dance and perform for them (jawans) just to encourage as those were the times of war. And in Mumbai also I have done it.” said Shahrukh.
Shah Rukh Khan feels that distinction was being made between men and women in uniform, which was silly!
Because the event was held during the festive season of Raksha Bandhan, Mamata Banerjee also tied a rakhi to Shah Rukh Khan on stage amidst the audience. But even Mamata Banerjee faced the music for inviting Bollywood stars for the events and shows happening in Kolkata.
Looks like when King Khan is in the house, controversy is never far behind. But what do you think? Is it a case of gender bias? Did people object because the cop was a lady? Had it been a man, there would have been no controversy? Let us know here…
