Prior to its release, Shahrukh Khan’s movie ‘Pathaan’ garnered a lot of attention for a number of reasons across the country, with protests in several states. Recently, Bajrang Dal activists have staged protests against the movie, one such protest turned violent when the Hindu outfit activists stormed into a theatre at Narengi in Guwahati where Pathaan was slated to be screened.
When the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma was asked by media persons about the incident, he responded by asking “who is Shahrukh Khan?”. He said that he doesn’t know anything about him or his film. Sarma while talking to the media said: “Who is Shah Rukh Khan? I don’t know anything about him or his film Pathaan,” news agency PTI reported.
”Who is Shah Rukh Khan? I don’t know anything about him or his film Pathaan”, replies Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma to mediapersons’ questions on violent protest by Bajrang Dal activists who stormed theatre at Narengi in Guwahati where “Pathaan” is slated to be screened
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 21, 2023
Bajrang Dal members entered the theatre, tore down the posters, and burnt them, as per media reports.
When Sarma was further asked about this he said: “Khan has not called me, though many from Bollywood do so, regarding the problem. But if he does, I will look into the matter. Action will be taken if law and order have been violated and a case has been filed.”
A number of leaders, including those from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, have called for the film to be banned.
Sarma said that the state’s residents ought to be worried about Assamese films rather than Hindi ones when reporters informed him that Khan is a Bollywood superstar.
He said that the Assamese movie “Dr Bezbarua – Part 2,” the first directorial venture of late Nipon Goswami, will be released soon and people should see it.
(With inputs from PTI)