While Irrfan has dropped his 'Khan' to bypass cultural identification, Kamal Hassan is in a seriously defiant mood. He's deliberating changing his distinctly Muslim-sounding name to a more prounounced Islamic-sounding 'Qamal Haasan'. "SIMPLY TO show a way of solidarity with my Muslim brothers, including Shah Rukh whom I'M very fond of," he says.
If Irrfan thinks it is a liability to be called a Khan, Kamal thinks it's equally incriminating to be named a Haasan.
"It doesn't matter whether I'M really Muslim or not. If I NEED TO suffer for my name, I'm willing to do so," says Kamal.
It's not only Shah Rukh together with his 'Khan' surname that gets him special treatment on the American treatment. You'll want to get the united states immigration guys right into a budge over a Hindi name just because it sounds Muslim. This, Kamal Haasan discovered recently at an airport in Canada when he was in order to the united states for a makeover for a job. He was detained and questioned because both his names sounded distinctly Muslim.
Says Kamal Haasan, "My father did an excessively mischievous thing, maybe because I USED TO BE born when he was 50, and by then he had developed a way of humour about human quirks and contradictions. He gave me a Muslim-sounding name. And the paradox of my name does confuse the Americans. I enjoy that. My father too enjoyed the ambivalence. Actually he was keen that I spell my name 'Kamal' with 'Q' in an excessively Islamic way. I had almost listened to him. Then I backtracked. But I BELIEVE I should opt for it. While he was alive he would often inquire from me if I USED TO BE mistakened for a Muslim."
Kamal Haasan frequently gets into the 'suspicious' segment of the united states immigration department. "Sometimes they take me aside and question me questions. Simply because we do business with America they suspect we're questionable. If we're so touchy about immigration rules in America, we should not be doing business with them."
Kamal Haasan feels racial and cultural suspicion exist in every society. "CHECK WITH an Afghani who involves visit India. Afghani students can't get rooms to stick in India. There's resistance to Afghani passports in India. And why are we so touchy about American treatment? They've a 9/11 to caution them. With 9/11 Australia is hostile to Indians. India should stop acting paranoid about racial profiling."
Shah Rukh Khan, whom Kamal Haasan may be very fond of, can be pleased to grasp he has undivided support from the senior actor.
However Kamal cautions, "WE DO NOT wish to over-react simply because this Khan is a Shah Rukh. I DO NOT BELIEVE Shah Rukh himself minded the detention. I DO KNOW the gentleman. He would never say, 'I am Shah Rukh Khan, so I need to be treated differently from other Khans'. I FEEL he said, whenever he desires to feel normal, he visits the united states. His fans might feel injured on his behalf. But it surely cannot be helped. The Americans are an injured nation. They're being just watch out. It happened to me and that i needed to miss my flight. There has been no great apology or anything. It's rules they're following."
Kamal Haasan doesn't recommend a separate treatment by the U.S. immigration to Shah Rukh. "I'd recommend that they be kind to all Khans. They can not generalize about all Khans. It's as awful as saying all Americans are stupid."
As for Irrfan dropping his Khan surname, Kamal Haasan is willing to head the other way. "I'm able to change my name from Kamal to Qamal. I'm often mistaken for a Muslim and that i don't correct the misperception. My brothers Charu Haasan and Chandra Haasan wouldn't have to stand this. Please remember the material of our nation is woven with saffron, white and green. We cannot pull out any of the colors. We need to co-exist. The crusades are over."
