'Shah Rukh Khan called me at 2 am': Himanta Biswa Sarma assures strict law and order during 'Pathaan' release

A day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said 'Who is Shah Rukh Khan', the CM took to Twitter to share that the actor called him late at night expressing concern over reported protests by a rightwing outfit in Guwahati’s Narengi area against his upcoming release Pathaan.

The Chief Minister said he assured the actor that the government would enquire and ensure no such untoward incidents happen. 

"Bollywood actor Shri @iamsrk called me and we talked today morning at 2 am. He expressed concern about an incident in Guwahati during the screening of his film. I assured him that it’s duty of state govt to maintain law & order. We’ll enquire and ensure no such untoward incidents," the Chief Minister said.

On Friday, Bajrang Dal activists stormed a theatre at Narengi. The group's volunteers tore down the film's posters and burnt them. Amidst this, the Chief Minister had said, "Who is Shah Rukh Khan? I don't know anything about him or his film Pathaan." 

"Khan has not called me, though many from Bollywood do so, regarding the problem. But if he does, I will look into the matter. Action will be taken if law and order have been violated and a case has been filed," PTI quoted him as saying.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, Pathaan is set to hit the theatres on January 25. Besides Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, the film features a star-studded cast including John Abraham, Dimple Kapadia, and Ashutosh Rana.

The film has received a massive backlash in the country after the release of its song 'besharam rang' with several BJP leaders including Ram Kadam, Sadhvi Pragya, and Narottam Mishra vocally criticising the film over saffron-coloured costumes.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the BJP national executive meeting held on January 16 and 17 in Delhi, asked party leaders to refrain from making any ‘unnecessary remarks’ on films.

According to India Today sources, the Prime Minister remarked that “some people give statements on some film” that continue to be run by the media the entire day. He then asked party workers to avoid making such ‘unnecessary statements’. He said that such statements overshadow the good work the party does.

The statement came amid a growing call to boycott the Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone-John Abraham starrer, ‘Pathaan’.

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Also Read: 'Who Is Shah Rukh Khan?': Assam's Himanta Sarma on Pathaan