Himanta Sarma said he first received the text from SRK on Saturday night.
New Delhi:
A day after the phone call with Shah Rukh Khan, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reiterated that he “didn’t know who he was” when the big star sent him a message on Saturday. “I didn’t watch many movies after 2001,” he asserts.
During the call initiated by Shah Rukh Khan, Minister Assam is said to have assured the actor of the protests against his movie “Pathaan”, which will be released on Wednesday.
Mr. Sarma said he first received the text from SRK on Saturday night.
“At 7.15pm, I got a text from SRK. He introduced himself – I’m Shah Rukh Khan, I want to talk to you’. I didn’t have time at that time. I texted him back and called him. again at 2 am. He introduced himself to me, I don’t know who he is. I know Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, didn’t watch many movies after 2001,” the minister said today.
“So at 2am we talked and I told him there would be no disturbance in Assam.”
Mr Sarma had previously tweeted about his conversation with the star about an incident in Guwahati during his screening. Some right-wing activists tore up posters of the film at the Guwahati cinema that will show the film.
The call came after Mr. Sarma curtly told reporters a day earlier that he knew nothing about SRK or the movie Pathaan.
“Who is Shah Rukh Khan? I don’t know anything about him or the movie ‘Pathaan’,” Mr Sarma said in Guwahati on Friday. He was answering questions about the protests and theater owner Rajeev Bora received a call from SRK.
When told that SRK is a Bollywood superstar, Mr. Sarma mocked that people in the state should be interested in Assam movies, not Bollywood. Mr Sarma also said he has not received any calls from SRK and he will look into the matter if the actor urges.
The actor called, the very next day.
‘Pathaan’ caused an outcry over the song “Besharam Rang” starring SRK and co-star Deepika Padukone. Deepika Padukone wears a saffron-colored swimsuit, a color revered by Hindus. Several leaders, including from the right-wing Vishwa Hindu Parishad, have demanded a ban on showing the film.
Featured video of the day
Watch: Rahul Gandhi Look-alike Participates in Yatra Congress in Jammu
