It is fast becoming one of the most disastrous periods in Shah Rukh Khan's Bollywood career. His movie career is on a high, and Om Shanti Om is fast becoming a massive blockbuster, but people and organisations are still adamant on causing him problems.
The latest are disabled rights activists working for the physically challenged, who have objected to a scene in Om Shanti Om. The scene in question shows Shah Rukh Khan's character in a wheelchair who is rebuked by someone saying, "Haath pau nahi jiske, kaise karega woh disco." The scene is then followed by a dream sequence in which the actor is seen dancing to the popular song Dard-e-Disco.
When Om Shanti Om's media manager Niloufer Qureshi was told about this, he said "I can give you Farah and Shah Rukh's numbers, but cannot comment on the issue as my job witht he movie is more or less finished.
Activist Nilesh Singit, who has cerebal palsy, was mistified after seeing the movie. He has written to Shah Rukh and Farah and another eight organisations, demanding a public apology from the makers of the movie to the disabled community.
The activists are also demanding the scene in question be deleted from the movie before December 3, which is the International Day of Disabled Persons.
"The disabled know that they cannot do certain things and they do not need such reminders. The intention was to tickle the senses of the front-row viewers, but it has hurt the sentiments of thousands of disabled people. Is this a responsible statement befitting an actor of his stature?," said Singit referring to Shah Rukh Khan.
Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan have yet to respond to the allegations.
So there we have it. First it was Sanjay Leela Bhansali, then Manoj Kumar and Salman Khan, and now this. What are your thoughts on this new issue that has arisen? Do you believe the scene does infact make a joke out of disabled people and their problems, or do you think it was only meant as a joke. Should the scene be deleted and should Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan make yet another apology? If you are a disabled person, and have seen the movie and this particular scene, were you offended?
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