(Image source from: Shah Rukh takes U turn on rising intolerance in India?})

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has reportedly expressed concern over the rising intolerance in India just a few days back, around his 50th birthday, with people returning awards and some being killed for expressing their views. This statement from Shah Rukh received a major backlash, particularly from right wing groups.

But now, the bollywood star says there is no intolerance in India. Critics say that the superstar decided to steer clear the controversy because of a lot riding on his film Dilwale, which will hit the screens on Friday.

Clarifying that his utterings on an English TV channel earlier had been misconstrued and were taken out of the context, he reiterated “there is no intolerance in the country.Everything is fine”. His claims were that his advice to future generation, when asked to speak about them, was taken out of context.

“I do not think there is intolerance in the country. The question that I was asked, for which people pounced on me, was ‘what would you say to the future generation?’ because I now fall under the senior category…,” Shah Rukh Khan added.

Shah Rukh said on show Press Conference of ABP News that, "Half of our population is of around 25 years of age. If I can give any advice to them, it would be to not differentiate in the name of region, religion, caste, colour, creed, sex or gender.”

It was even added by him that he never faced any intolerance, except for his smoking habit. “I never meant that it is happening now. I don’t think so. I will be very clear; everything is very nice in our country. God bless India, long live us, long live us Indians. There is no problem and nobody has been intolerant towards me except when I smoke,” Dilwale star added. He also said that his stand has nothing to do with the release of Dilwale.

He said that he is a patriot and a nationalist, and said, "I think we are on the cusp of modernisation and best of places a country can be. We will, we can and we should be a superpower. These are only small issues for young generation. I am not saying right now we have intolerance. I am not saying there is a problem. Nowhere have I said anything which is wrong and, having said that, the fact is that every time I speak things are misunderstood.”

-Sumana