Shah Rukh Khan’s latest release ‘Pathaan’ has certainly shook the box office with its fabulous collection, but the film had been marred by controversy prior to its release. Now as Shah Rukh Khan and his two co-stars, Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, engaged in their first media interaction since the film released, SRK finally addressed the ‘Pathaan’ controversy for the first time.
The actor, on Monday, compared Deepika, himself and John to iconic characters of ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’, Manmohan Desai’s classic 1977 film, and requested people to not take their alter egos too seriously.
Mentioning how everything is in the name of entertainment, Shah Rukh said, “Sabka maksad ek hi hota hai. We should spread happiness, brotherhood, love, kindness, even when I’m playing a bad guy like in Darr. Even if I’m playing a Baazigar, even if John is being bad in a film. None of us are bad.” He added, “We are all playing characters to make you happy. If we say things in the film, none of them are meant to hurt any sentiment or anybody. It is just entertainment.”
Addressing the rumours of rivalry between the lead actors and the boycott calls, SRK mentioned, “We love each other, we joke with each other. We have fun with each other. Fun, entertainment should be left at that. Don’t take it more seriously. We all are one. All of us are loving each other and trying to make that love spread just to tell you in a very simple manner… this is Deepika Padukone, yeh Amar hain. Main Shah Rukh Khan hoon, main Akbar hoon. Yeh John hain, yeh Anthony hain. And this is what makes cinema.”
For those caught unaware, there were calls to boycott ‘Pathaan’ and several objectionable words were used against him on social media. However, nothing affected the box office numbers as ‘Pathaan’ and the film entered the Rs 100 crore club on its opening day itself. Now it is inching closer to Rs 600 crore mark globally.
