Shah Rukh refuses to submit to Shiv Sena's threat

London, February 4, 2010

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol Devgan talk during a press conference as a trailer for their film 'My Name is Khan' is shown to an audience at a central London hotel, on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Actor Shah Rukh Khan has stuck to his stand of inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in Indian Premier League, saying he has said nothing on the issue that should be retracted.

"What should I retract?," an unfazed Khan asked reporters when asked about the reaction from Shiv Sena on his remarks about the inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL series.

Mr Khan said he is not going to submit to this threat.

Shiv Sena has demanded an apology from him for backing Pakistani cricketers in IPL after the players from that country were not picked up during auction last month.

"I don't know what the issue is all about... I don't know what I am supposed to retract. Am I supposed to retract the fact I'm an Indian but I don't want anyone to come to my country?," he said.

Mr Khan, who was addressing a press conference along with Director Karan Johar and actress Kajol to promote their film 'My Name is Khan', said: "What all that I've said is that I would like people to come to my country to participate in the biggest event and it scares me to say anything because our stakes are very high."

He was apologetic to his business partners for his stand on the IPL as it might affect the prospect of the film.

Mr Khan, who is in London to promote his film, said: "I have no idea what people would like me to say. If somebody could tell me this is what you would want me to say, I'll say it."

"When I said it was not directed towards a person or a group of people. It was not towards any person from any nation - Pakistan, Bangladesh, America or England," he told reporters last evening.

"If you have differences in ideology why it should not be allowed?," he asked and recalled the teachings and values that he received from his father who was a freedom fighter.

"I am really sorry. I would like to apologise Karan Johar, to Kajol and I am immensely sorry to all our business partners that because of what I said, or what I believe in, their film and their work is going to be affected," Mr Khan said.

The film, which marks the return of the famous onscreen pair Shah Rukh and Kajol after a gap of eight years, is a love-story in the backdrop of post 9/11 attacks on the US.

In the movie, Khan plays Rizwan, a man suffering from Asperger's syndrome (a form of autism), who embarks on an extraordinary journey across America to win back the love of his life Mandira (Kajol).

'My Name Is Khan' is one of the first Bollywood films to be distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the US.

Imagenation Abu Dhabi is in a partnership with Fox Star studios to distribute the film in the Middle East. The film will see its worldwide release on February 12.

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