Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan had once said if he was made a king of the country, he would get rid of all anti-national elements in 24 hours and make all political leaders to experience a common man's life for a day.
Shah Rukh Khan was the most loved Indian actor until he added his voice to the intolerance debate in 2015. Post his comment on the issue, the Bollywood superstar earned a score of haters especially from the right-wing. The BJP leaders like Yogi Adityanath, Kailash Vijayvargiya and Sadhvi Prachi had gone on to call him anti-national, terrorist and an agent of Pakistan as he reflects their ideology.
But Shah Rukh Khan, who is the son of a freedom fighter of India, is a true patriot and always loved and respected the country and showed concern for the people of his motherland right from the beginning of his career. His comments made in an interview in two decades ago. When asked about things he would do if he was made a king, the Bollywood actor said that he would clear all the anti-national elements.
Shah Rukh Khan had replied, "The first thing I would do, would be to rid the city of all anti-national and anti-social elements. The ones who start riots for communal reasons or any other reasons, who start fights and bomb blasts. I would try to get rid of them within 24 hours and I'd pray that I not only try but succeed in ridding the country of them.
The actor had added, "And the other thing I'd like to do is take all political leaders, who shout pompous slogans, and make them into ordinary people for a day so that they can understand how special the common man is. Because they're sitting on their seats and they're just looking down upon us. I'd like them for one day to stand down and look up and understand how hard it is to keep looking up and how easy it is to look down."
Shah Rukh Khan had also said that it is a tough job, but he would love to do it. He had said, "I know it's a little serious thing, but I would love to do that, though I don't know if I'm good enough to do it or not. Because this is very subjective to think that I'm good enough to that. I myself have good and bad qualities. But if I were a good man - or any good man, not only me - is made king or Sultan of this country for a day, I think everyone should work toward it."
Shah Rukh Khan had spoken about his family's political connection and shared his views on freedom. He had said, "I remember when we were kids we had to write an essay, "My country, India." I think that should be changed. It has to be that the country is India and we are the citizens of this country. We don't own it. Ownership doesn't mean that this is our India. It is that what we have to do for the country."
At this juncture, Shah Rukh Khan had once again spoken about anti-nationals anti-socials and said that they "do not think that they are part of India." It makes him sad to think that his family fought for this country. He had added, "For me, it's even sadder that these people are somehow destroying it. So I get... though I'm not directly affiliated to politics or to any kind of party, or actively involved in it, but whenever I read it does bring this little sadness that it takes away from what my father told me, "Keep this country free the way I gave it to you."
