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Shah Rukh Khan apologises to yesteryear star Manoj Kumar

29/11/2007

After veteran actor Manoj Kumar threatened to sue filmmaker Farah Khan and actor Shah Rukh Khan for aping him in their blockbuster movie, Om Shanti Om, SRK has come forward with an apology.

Denying that there was a “conspiracy to humilitate and ridicule Manoj Kumar”, Shah Rukh Khan said, “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I dont think this film should be taken seriously, it’s a comedy.”

He also said that since Manoj Kumar had not said anything to him in person, he would not take it otherwise.

“Elderly people get jolted. Our fathers and grandfathers do that. I have a lot of respect for Manoj Kumar and I admit we should have been more careful,” Shah Rukh added.

In a lighter vein he said, “I have been copying actors for the past 15 years. I never took anyone’s permission. I think I should have called him to take his permission.”

He also said that they have been getting a lot of messages from actors appreciating their work in the film and calling it a tribute to Indian cinema.

Shah Rukh’s apology came after Manoj Kumar expressed his annoyance over a sequence in “Om Shanti Om” which spoofs the Bollywood of the 1970s when Manoj Kumar ruled the silver screen.

Manoj Kumar is angry over the sequence in which he is shown being thrashed by policemen outside a cinema. In the movie, Shah Rukh’s character steals Manoj Kumar’s pass to attend a film premiere, and the police, ostensibly not recognising Manoj Kumar, beat him up.

Manoj Kumar’s role in this sequence has been played by a look-alike “duplicate”. Shah Rukh plays the lead role in the movie which has been produced by him and directed by Farah Khan.

Offended by the sequence, Manoj Kumar’s lawyer had said  that the veteran actor was contemplating legal action against the makers of `Om Shanti Om’.

“Manoj Kumar has been offended by a certain sequence in the film, and he asked me whether any legal action was possible,” said the lawyer, Mukesh Vashi.

“However, Manoj Kumar said: “Indian audiences had made Manoj Kumar into an icon.... That icon has been wounded, made fun of.... Moral action is more important than legal action.”

Director Farah Khan, who was also present, said, “I am to blame for this. I wrote that scene.”