Indian Twitter has been calling out for the boycott of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan after his old picture with PM Imran Khan resurfaced.
The old picture dated back to 2008. Several users retweeted the picture and called for the boycott of the actor. The controversy has erupted just before the release of his movie Pathan in which he will be playing the role of a Muslim RAW agent. The film also stars Deepika Padukone, John Abraham, and Salman Khan in a cameo role.
The actor has been accused of sympathizing with Pakistan and Muslims. A user added that back in 2001, Shah Rukh Khan portrayed Hindu king Ashoka in a negative character in the movie Ashoka.
Pakistani Players Are The Best Player in the World. They are the Champions !
There’s Extreme Intolerance in India !
This Guy @iamsrk Is Pro Pakistani & He Has Proved it Many Times. #BoycottShahRukhKhanpic.twitter.com/kprhwso5Ng
— 🇮🇳 (@IBeingPratik1) September 16, 2021
#BoycottShahRukhKhan
Which Pathans are glorifying? those who are fighting among themselves? killing their mothers and sisters? killing their own brothers?@beingarun28 pic.twitter.com/JrnGyqfTZn— Satenderrawat (@satenderrawatuk) September 16, 2021
Another user took to the micro-blogging site and posted about the glorification of Pathans in the upcoming film, writing, “Which Pathans are [they] glorifying? Those who are fighting among themselves? Killing their mothers and sisters? Killing their own brothers?”
A disappointed Indian user recalled Shah Rukh Khan calling Indians intolerant and protesting against excluding Pakistani cricketers from the Indian Premier League. He is called pro-Pakistani as well.
Read more: Global phenomenon: YouTube searches for Ertugrul outrun hits for Shah Rukh Khan in India
The post read, “Pakistani players are the best players in the world. They are the champions! There’s extreme intolerance in India! This guy SRK is pro-Pakistani and he has proven it many times.” Some even asked to boycott Bollywood overall.
Before supporting anyone
I am a Proud Indian and Hindu🇮🇳🚩SRK Called India 'Intolerant' when every Muslim is having full freedom
Says Pakistani players should be picked in IPLChanged the name from Mir ranjan negi to kabir Khan in chak de#BoycottShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/trbYI2S1Vb
— TA 💫 (@Tirlovesha) September 16, 2021
Muslim Bollywood actors receiving backlash
Shah Rukh Khan is not the only Muslim Bollywood actor to receive backlash and being demonized as the sympathizer of Pakistan. Actor Aamir Khan also has been targeted by Hindutva on Indian social media.
Last year, Aamir Khan had received flak on Indian social media for meeting the Turkish First Lady Emine Erdogan.
Read more: Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan slammed for posting pictures with PM Modi
The images of Aamir Khan meeting Emine Erdogan went viral on social media that brought the actor and First Lady under severe criticism on Indian Twitter. Moreover, Emine Erdogan also shared the images on her Twitter account.