The majority of prominent Bollywood stars have maintained a stoic silence after the arrest of Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan following a raid by Narcotics Control Bureau on October 3, but a few voices are now emerging a day after the scandal.
After Salman Khan’s personal visit to Shah Rukh’s home Mannat in Mumbai on October 3, a handful of talents have thrown their weight behind the actor by tweeting their solidarity.
Actress and director Pooja Bhatt, director Hansal Mehta, and singer Suchitra Krishnamoorthi were the first few celebrities to publicly show support for Shah Rukh Khan and his family.
“I stand in solidarity with you @iamsrk. Not that you need it. But I do. This too, shall pass,” tweeted Bhatt.
Mehta went a step further and spoke about how parents struggle when their children suffer a public tumble.
“It is painful having to deal with a child getting into trouble. It gets compounded when people begin to arrive at judgements before the law takes its course. It’s disrespectful and unfair to the parent and to the parent-child relationship. I am with you @iamsrk,” said Mehta.
Director Mehta has helmed stirring films such as ‘Omerta’ and ‘Aligarh’, while Bhatt has directed films such as ‘Jism 2’ and acted in web series ‘Bombay Begums’.
A day earlier, actor Suniel Shetty threw his weight behind Shah Rukh and his son urging the media to give the 23-year-old a breather. He was asked about his take on the issue during a public event, and Shetty defended Aryan.
“I would like to say that wherever there is a raid, several people are caught. And we assume that this child must have consumed drugs or this child must have done it. But the proceedings are on, give that child a chance to breathe ... Whenever something happens in Bollywood, the media scrutinises everything and jumps to conclusions. Give the child a chance. Let the truth come out. It is our responsibility to take care of the child,” the actor said.
Aryan is an aspiring filmmaker who recently graduated from University of Southern California.
Shetty also claimed that Bollywood is often a soft target and is quick to be disgraced.
Aryan’s arrest has sent shock-waves across the Indian entertainment industry with debates being re-ignited on the nexus between Bollywood and drug usage among its stars.
A day after his arrest, the hashtag #IstandwithSRK also gained momentum with Shah Rukh’s devoted fans throwing their support behind their idol and his son.
Aryan is being produced before a court in Mumbai on October 4 after he was arrested following a drug bust on a luxury ship on October 3. He’s currently seeking bail and was among the eight people who were detained and interrogated over 22 hours yesterday which culminated in an arrest.
Aryan, Arbaz Merchant and Munmum Dhamecha were arrested, and according to an official statement by the NCB, the drug bureau was granted one day custody of the trio, who will be produced again before the court today.
Shah Rukh Khan is yet to make an official statement, but his interior decorator and producer wife Gauri Khan was spotted leaving to attend her son’s court hearing.
