Shah Rukh Khan brushes off Hashmi controversy

Brushing aside the Emraan Hashmi controversy as a "one-off" episode, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan today said that such incidents should not be given importance. "I have never been treated differently because of my religion. I am 44 years old now and never in my life have I felt discriminated, " he said.

Brushing aside the Emraan Hashmi controversy as a "one-off" episode, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday said that such incidents should not be given importance.

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The actor, who is a practicing Muslim but prefers to call himself a "secular Indian", said, "I have never been treated differently because of my religion. I am 44 years old now and never in my life have I felt discriminated."

He was reacting to a question related to the recent uproar caused by actor Emraan Hashmi's allegations that
a housing society in posh Pali Hill area denied him the NOC to purchase a flat in the building because he is a Muslim.

Shah Rukh said that he cannot deny the existence of such incidents but added, "It is a one-off incident and should not be given too much importance."

The actor was in New Delhi to conduct a quiz show organised by Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM).

"We are a fast growing nation and the reason for our development is the fact that we have overcome the barriers of
religion, castes, class in our hearts and minds. We should not let these small incident affect us," Shah Rukh said.

Earlier Bollywood star Salman Khan too had expressed his disagreement over Hashmi's accusation.

"If religious profiling indeed happened, Emraan Hashmi would not have been what he is today. Similarly, Salman, Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan would not be what they are today," Salman said adding that such incidents take place because of the individual's personality and not his religion.