Newark/New Delhi (ANI): Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan on Saturday said that he was doing well and was fine after his two-hour-long ordeal at Newark International Airport. Khan was detained for about two hours on Saturday morning at the airport in New Jersey, USA. Khan had arrived here to attend a South Asian related event. Khan was released after Congress MP Rajiv Shukla spoke to the authorities in the US and the Indian consulate.

He was detained after his name flashed on a computer and was asked several questions about the purpose of his visit. Khan's hand baggage was checked. The authorities did not even allow him to make a phone call for nearly an hour. Reacting to the incident, Khan said, "I told them I was a movie star and had recently visited the country for the shooting of my film. Nothing seemed to convince the immigration officer. There were other immigration officers, who even vouched for me but this particular officer, did not listen to anyone. I even told them I had an invitation from the South Asian community and was there to attend an event."

Meanwhile in New Delhi, there were strong reactions to Khan being detained by the American authorities. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, said, "I don't think frisking is conducted with a religious bias in mind, but in the US, there have been many such cases when authorities go overboard. Soni demanded that American citizens should also be frisked in the same manner that Indians are frisked.

India's former ambassador to the United States Naresh Chandra said that Khan's detention clearly exhibited the "ham-handed" approach of American security agencies. He told ANI over phone that a formal complaint about this harassment should be reported to the US State Department. Reacting to the incident, Ambassador Chandra said: " The authorities should have taken maximum 10 -15 minutes for questioning Shahrukh, but it took two hours. It is great incompetence and has lowered the image of (US) Homeland Security".

Sources said that Khan was indeed detained at the US airport and questioned for two hours. They said he was released only after Indian Officials intervened. They added that the Consulate General of New York was in touch with Shahrukh Khan. According to sources, the Indian consulate could register a formal complaint against the security agencies involved in this "embarrassing" incident. Some experts said that a formal complaint should be sent to the US envoy in Delhi.

Chandra, however, said that making it a big diplomatic issue would be counterproductive because the incident had nothing to do with US policy, but was the handiwork of lowly officers deployed at the airport. U.S. Ambassador to India, Timothy J. Roemer, on Saturday said that he was looking into reasons for the detention of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan at Newark International Airport.

“We are trying to ascertain the facts of the case -- to understand what took place,” said the Ambassador. "Shahrukh Khan, the actor and global icon, is a very welcome guest in the United States. Many Americans love his films,” Ambassador Roemer added. The incident, ironically, comes at a time when Khan is preparing for Karan Johar's new film 'My Name Is Khan', in the United States, a film touching upon the minority being targeted for no fault of theirs only because of suspicion.

Shahrukh Khan has always maintained that he has never faced discrimination for being a Muslim. But when he was detained for about two hours by airport officials in U.S. this week, he made sure every media carried his story.

Following this, there have been debates over the possibility of Shahrukh trying to Milk this episode for the promotion of his forthcoming film My Name Is Khanbeing directed by his buddy Karan Johar and reportedly based on the same subject of community discrimination.

So would it be right to say that the Baadshah of Bollywood is leaving no stone unturned to play up this episode for the sake of free international mileage worth crores that his film would get? Is King Khan flashing the community card to boost the pre-release hype for My Name Is Khan?

They say no publicity is bad publicity. Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan might have gone through hell at the Newark Airport in New York but it can be a blessing in disguise in more ways than one. He has turned a global icon, though he paid a huge price with humiliation.

The fate is Shahrukh made a spash in US media. The New York Daily News reported that 'this never happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger'. The Washington Post referred Shahrukh as 'One of India's biggest movie stars' and the New York Times took note of the incident with an agency story headlined 'Bollywood Icon Detained at US Airport.'

The detention of Shahrukh in the US turned into a big issue, so much so that the Indian Government took it seriously. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said that the Americans deserved to be paid back in the same coin for frisking beyond limits. BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad also said the detention was uncalled for.

Following the intervention of Ministry for External Affairs, U.S. envoy Timothy J. Roemer said in a bid to control damage that Shahrukh is ‘a global icon’ and is a very welcome guest in the United States. He heaped praises on him saying that Americans love his movies. He added that they are trying to ascertaining the circumstances which led to the detention of the actor.

People in the film industry were shocked by the way the Bollywood superstar was treated at the Newark airport. Film personalities like Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Raza Murad, Juhi Chawla, Farah Khan, Priyanka Chopra and others expressed their dismay over the incident.

It may be recalled that the Baadshah of Bollywood was frisked at the Newark airport recently when he went there to participate in the Indian Independence Day celebration. He was frisked and detained for two hours of questioning. He was not allowed to even make a call in spite of telling the police personnel that he is an Indian filmstar.

Shahrukh said that he was angry and humiliated. He added that he would never come back to America. He was freed only after the Indian Embassy in the US intervened. It may also be recalled that former Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was frisked by an American Airline recently.

In the meantime, every American would come to know Shahrukh now because of the incident though he would never wish to garner such publicity in exchange for humiliation. The controversy could act as an opener for the Americans to respect the icons of other countries.

Now, Shahrukh’s humiliating ordeal should make his forthcoming film My Name is Khan a blockbuster. Coincidentally, it is based on terrorism and discrimination on the lines of religion.

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan is coming home today after a humiliating ordeal in the US. He was detained and questioned for over two hours by the US immigration officials at the Newark Airport last week. The actor, who was in America for India's Independence Day celebration, said that the incident left him angry and humiliated.

Shahrukh was released after Indian Embassy in the US intervened. The outrage that followed the incident forced U.S. envoy Timothy J. Roemer to try his bit to control the damage. He said that Shahrukh is ‘a global icon’ and is a very welcome guest in the United States. He heaped praises on him saying that Americans love his movies. He added that they are trying to ascertaining the circumstances which led to the detention of the actor.

Before leaving for India, Shahrukh gave a piece of thought for the Americans. He said that asking him to give numbers of people in America who could vouch for my entry was strange, as he has his visa and all the required documents. He added that everybody loves America but at the mean time it needs to offer a little more warmth speed in it's processes.

Well, Shahrukh must be dying to feel the comfort of his home. Welcome back home!

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan has returned home but he is yet to get over the incident that took place at the Newark Airport in the US a few days ago. He just can't understand why he was made to take off his clothes and shoes. Now, he is ready to return it to the Americans in the same coin. He is ready to frisk Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox.

Explaining his two-hour ordeal at the airport, Shahrukh said that he always reports to the airport two hours in advance wherever he is due to security reasons and tries to follow the rules of the land, as he is scared of the authorities and rules. However, he said that it was the first Time he had been asked to take off his clothes and shoes. The way he was asked silly bizarre and irrelevant questions instead of following the routine security measures like checking finger prints and scanning retina embarrassed him.

Shahrukh said that the Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni's comment that the Americans should be returned in the same coin shows the government is looking at the larger problem. He offered help to frisk Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox whenever they come to India, if India is to adopt a tit-for-tat policy to the American actors.

Commenting on the allegation by some that the detention drama was to gain publicity for his upcoming release My Name is Khan, he said he doesn't need publicity. On the other hand, he looks at the larger picture, wondering how the ordinary people might have been treated. He at least has access to friends in the Indian consulate.

Karan Johar talks about his deal with Fox for his next directorial venture, My Name Is Khan.

You've apparently inked a deal with 20th Century Fox for an astronomical never-heard-of amount of money?
Let me tell you the amount mentioned is nowhere near being a realistic amount. The deal among Star Fox studios, my company and Red Chillies is an internal matter and can't be discussed in public. What makes this deal so historic is not the money involved but the attempt to cross the diasporas with a Hindi -language film My Name Is Khan. We'll reach out in places where Hindi-language films have not gone before.

I am foxed by the deal…
The Fox guys read the script and have followed the project. They're close enough to it to know what it's all about. I've shared a comfort zone with them from Day 1. Both Shahrukh and I believe they are the best people to handle My Name Is Khan. They've faith in our brand power and content creation. It's not about money. It's not about mutual respect.

Is Fox trying to give the Islamic world a more positive image in the West by buying a film about Islamic isolation and the western world?
It's not the politics of the film. It's when the film moves you on a human and emotional level that matters. My Name Is Khan endeavours to do just that. I don't think Fox was swayed by the Positive message. It's the human aspect that won them over. I believe in the emotional content of both my cinema and personal relationships. Look at the longevity of the association between my company Dharma Productions and Shahrukh Khan's Red Chillies and you'll see what I mean.

You are adapting Fox's Stepmom .Will there be more such adaptations of American films produced by Fox?
I'd always want to direct original content. But there're young filmmakers in my company who are excited by the idea of adapting films. Siddharth Malhotra, for example, is doing a Hindi version of Stepmom for our company. He's working really hard on it. An adaptation is as difficult as an original film. And Siddharth is working really hard on it.

What is the final cast of Stepmom?
It's Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal .

Two years back Shahrukh Khan had said My Name Is Khan was his dream movie as it will portray the lives of Muslims around the world post 9/11. The movie will focus on the isolation and insecurity among the Indian Muslims travelling and residing in US. Little did he know that he will have hands on experience of the mental ordeal that thousands of Muslims have gone through since the day the Twin Towers came down eight years back.

My Name Is Khan talks about the story of Rizwan Khan (Shahrukh Khan) suffering from Asperger syndrome who lives an ordinary life in San Francisco. The disease makes it difficulties for him to socially interact with people. Life goes normal for him until he is detained by the US security agencies who mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour. His name matches with another terror suspect and life goes from bad to worse for Rizwan.

As like the movie Shahrukh was detained by the US Customs and Border Protection because his name was similar to one in US Government's list of suspected terrorists. Although US agencies have denied this they haven't given any valid reasons why Shahrukh had to go through a two hour ordeal when all his papers were in places. Shahrukh had himself claimed that the investigating officer had mentioned that there was some confusion with his name.

India has had mixed reactions on Shahrukh's detention at the Newark International Airport. Some have asked the Government to take up the issue with the US authorities while others have dismissed this a regular security measure in the United States. There were some celebrities who even took a dig at King Khan for expecting not to be examined owing to his superstar status in India. But not every Indian flying to US goes through similar security checks either.

Whatever may be the outcome of all this Shahrukh Khan has definitely lived the character of Rizwan Khan in those two hours at the Newark International Airport. The incident has definitely made Shahrukh more wiser about the character in My Name is Khan. Shahrukh for now has to relive his real life moments moment on the reel and his dream movie might just be the best performance of his lifetime.

The two-hour detention at the Newark Airport in the US has become a sort of blessing for Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan. After U.S. envoy Timothy J. Roemer branded him as a 'global icon', Hollywood actor turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger has invited him to dinner.

Shahrukh received an invitation from California Governor for dinner on September 20 in Washington DC. He received the invitation a day after he returned from the US. It is not sure whether he has accepted it.

Meanwhile, sharing his two-hour ordeal at the airport, Shahrukh said that he always reports to the airport two hours in advance wherever he is due to security reasons and tries to follow the rules of the land, as he is scared of the authorities and rules. However, he said that it was the first time he had been asked to take off his clothes and shoes. The way he was asked silly bizarre and irrelevant questions instead of following the routine security measures like checking finger prints and scanning retina embarrassed him.

Shahrukh said that the Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni's comment that the Americans should be returned in the same coin shows the government is looking at the larger problem. He offered help to frisk Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox whenever they come to India, if India is to adopt a tit-for-tat policy to the American actors.

Commenting on the allegation by some that the detention drama was to gain publicity for his upcoming release My Name is Khan, he said he doesn't need publicity. On the other hand, he looks at the larger picture, wondering how the ordinary people might have been treated. He at least has access to friends in the Indian consulate.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh’s had criticised Shahrukh Khan’s reaction to his detention in US claiming SRK had blown it out of proportion. He said that Shahrukh was doing this to promote his upcoming movie My Name Is Khan. He added that it former President Abdul Kalam hadn't complained about the treatment meted out him in India why was Shahrukh making a big issue out of it.

When quizzed about Singh's comments during a press conference, King Khan sarcastically said that he thought Amar Singh was unwell and taking treatment in Singapore. Adding more to his sarcasm SRK asked if Singh was back in Mumbai and in a physical condition to make such statements. He stressed on the fact that SRK and My Name Is Khan need no cheap publicity. He added that he wished Singh recovers soon with a healthy body and a strong mind

Shahrukh and Amar singh 's tu tu mein mein goes a long way back. Shahrukh had made fun of him during an award function some years back which hadn't gone down well too well with the UP strongman. Amar Singh's closeness with the Bachchan family means Shahrukh always has to be in his firing line. Well a politician even in a hospital doesn't refrain himself from maKing controversial statements.

Everyone knows that Karan Johar and Aditya chopra are the best of buddies. And that Karan is a huge fan of Yash Chopra films. But that the Chopras and KJo are lunching buddies, is not a known fact. It was uday chopra who let the cat out of the bag on his Twitter account, "Had lunch with Karan and my dad at KJ's office...lots of fun and Good food."

Karan confirms, "Yes, Yash uncle and Uday had dropped in at my office but then we keep doing that often. Yash uncle is like family and no, there are no tie-ups happening. It's a given thing that they are the first ones to see all Dharma films which are Ready . Wake Up Sid is ready and I will show it to them. Everything that I do is discussed with Adi."

Currently, Karan is multi-tasking. "We have a long schedule of My Name Is Khan beginning from today in Mumbai till September, I am looking into the promos of Wake Up Sid and soon, the marketing campaign of Kurbaan will start. Right now, I am hyper-ventilating and will soon burst a blood vessel," he quips.

Recently, SRK was detained in the US and it was called a publicity stunt for My Name is Khan. Karan says, "I am appalled that people are calling it a publicity stunt! The film is releasing early next year, so how does it make sense to publicise it from now?

I think people who are insinuating that it's a publicity stunt lack the intelligence and vision to back their statement. And am I powerful enough to get the US security to help me promote my film? I have gone through three emotions - shock, indifference and amusement.

This kind of publicity won't help our film. MNIK is about the protagonist Rizwan Khan (Shahrukh) and we are trying to build that character. It's not about Shahrukh's detainment. Lastly, Shahrukh, Kajol and Dharma Productions don't need to resort to such tools to promote their film. I feel sorry for such people who think it's a stunt. God bless such people."

Everybody knows that all is not well between Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan but choreographer turned director turned chat show host Farah Khan has the guts to invite them to her chat show Tere Mere Beech Mein. Of course, the actors will not appear together.

Interestingly, Farah will start Tere Mere Beech Mein series with Salman Khan along with his mother Salma Khan and end it with Shahrukh.

Salman has not appeared on any television chat show till date and so too is his mother. In fact, Salma has not given any interview so far. But Farah said that it was not at all difficult to convince the mother and son to kick start her show. She makes Salman speak about being a 'mamma's boy' and Shahrukh as a henpecked husband.

Farah is also roping in celebrities like Hrithik Roshan , Asin Thottumkal , Deepika Padukone , Abhay Deol, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Kareena Kapoor and cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Irrfan Pathan to her chat show. However, she has failed to bring former railway minister Lalu Prasad and singer-actor Himesh Reshammiya

Shahrukh Khan has rubbished off the allegations made by some that he has blown his detention controversy out of proportion just to gain publicity for his upcoming release My Name is Khan, which is also based on terrorism and discrimination. He feels that it is too early to promote it.

Shahrukh said that there is no point oft promoting the film now, as there are still some eight to nine months to go before it hits the theatres. He added that it's not very positive when someone asks you to vouch for you in order to enter someone's country. He feels it's disrespectful.

It may be recalled that Shahrukh was detained at the Newark Airport, USA, for two hours last week. He was released only after Indian Embassy in US intervened.

Well, Shahrukh being a big star doesn't have to resort to such cheap publicity!

Vivek Vaswani’s Shahrukh Khan starrer Dulha Mil Gaya is finally set for a November 13th release date. The film marks the return of Main Hoon Na jodi of SRK and Sushmita Sen , after a gap of 5 years. The film however revolves around four main characters of those of- Shahrukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Fardeen Khan and Tara Sharma, and is directed by Muddassar Aziz. Now news has come in that Vivek Vaswani is working on his next movie titled Dulhe Ka Divorce.

Our source reveals, “Vivek has tentatively titled his next as Dulhe Ka Divorce. Shahrukh Khan has been a part of most of his projects, and it was in fact Vivek who got him his first major break in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman. He simply loves SRK and if there is a role fitting him, SRK will definitely be on board for this one too. But there will be newcomers cast in the main leads.”

There was also a buzz that Dulha Mil Gaya would premiere in USA, but in the wake of Shahrukh Khan being frisked at the US airport, it won’t happen. Vaswani states in this regards that he had planned the premiere in Trinidad, since the movie has been extensively shot in Trinidad and Tobago. So there was never any question of the film premiering in USA and that it will be releasing simultaneously all over.”

A lot has been talked about his detention at the Newark International Airport. Some were furious about the issue where as some accused Shahrukh of blowing it out of proportions and hoping to get a VIP treatment where ever he goes. Shahrukh has rubbished this theory and said he never expected any VIP treatment because he did not believe in it. The actor added that he and his family had never jumped queues at the airport in India or elsewhere owing to his celebrity status.

Shahrukh also dismissed rumours that he had done all this to promote his upcoming movie My Name Is Khan which co-incidentally deals with the discrimination of Muslims in US post 9/11. He argued that his movie would release after eight months so it was no time to promote his movies. In what could be termed as superstar confidence Shahrukh concluded that Shahrukh Khan or My Name Is Khan did not need such cheap publicity stunts.

Many theories have emerged why Shahrukh Khan was detained at Newark International Airport for over two hours. Finally the real reason behind Shahrukh's detention has come out. It has nothing to do with the Bollywood actor, his name or his religion. Shahrukh was detained because of the promoters of Shahrukh's shows in shows in Chicago and Houston.

Shahrukh's show was promoted by brothers Farhath Hussain and Altaf Hussain, with some local promoters who are on the radar of authorities in the UK, US and India. Some of these people are under the scanner for dodgy financial transactions and allegedly have links with the underworld and some terrorists organization. The delayed arrival of Shahrukh's luggage from London also compounded the problems for the Bollywood star.