home
The Mumbaikar versus outsider debate started by Raj Thackeray refuses to die down and Bollywood is now responding to the politics of parochialism.
Salman Khan has reacted sharply to reports that his father supports Raj Thackeray’s campaign against non-Maharashtrians in Mumbai.
“There was nothing to support what you people are saying. My father did not support Raj Thackeray. Any riot in the city or anywhere is wrong and unjustified,” says Salman.
While Salman was vocal in Mumbai, Manoj Bajpai cleared the air in Delhi. The actor from Bihar was quoted in Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna recently stating that small-towners should not crowd Mumbai.
“No I didn’t say that,” says Manoj Bajpai. He adds, “I have never supported any one political leader. I have never lived my life like that”.
Meanwhile another veteran actor-politician played the fence sitter. “We should respect all languages and cultures and cultural assimilations is an answer to all problems,” says BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha.
Shatrughan Sinha may not have wanted to irk Balasaheb, but what Bollywood surely needs is a few more heroes like SRK who doesn’t mince his words.
“We are all Indians. We have a right to be anywhere in India or for that matter in the world,” asserts actor Shah Rukh Khan.
