bollywood star gets detained by newark airport security

It seems that globally-famous Bollywood stars (particularly those with Muslim names) are not immune to profiling by airport security in post-9/11 America. Saw this one over at Sepia Mutiny...

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he was racially profiled and detained for two hours last week at Newark Airport: Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan held at Newark Airport; claims racial profiling due to Muslim name.

The 43-year-old star of over 70 films, who is often referred to as the "Tom Cruise of India," was on his way to an Indian independence day celebration in Chicago. He was waiting for his luggage when his name popped up on a computer alert list. Security then pulled him aside. Uh oh.

Khan says he endured two hours of interrogation before he was allowed to call the Indian embassy Washington. He was released only after an official there vouched for the actor. I'm guessing none of Newark's TSA representatives are familiar with the stars of Bollywood cinema.

The incident apparently caused outrage in India, where the "Khan-troversy" dominated television news. According to Yahoo's Buzz Log, the Shah Rukh Khan incident incited a massive increase in search activity over the weekend. And here's the kicker: ironically, Khan plays a Muslim man mistaken for a terrorist in his latest film, My Name is Khan.