Returning awards not right: Anil Kapoor

Actor Anil Kapoor does not think returning awards in protest against growing intolerance in the country is justified.

The “24” star feels intolerance always existed in the country and is not happening for the first time. Many writers and filmmakers including director Dibakar Banerjee have returned their national honours.

When asked if it is right to return the awards, Anil said, "No I don’t think so.”

The debate stirred up after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, on his 50th birthday, came out strongly against what he called “extreme intolerance” in the country and said insularity towards creativity and religion will hurt the country.

Anil, 58, who was in the capital to meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to take measures for cyber protection, said he has not heard Shah Rukh’s comment.

“I haven’t heard what he (Shah Rukh) has spoken. As far as I know him, I don’t think that there would be any such thing in his mind.

“My stand is this thing (intolerance) is not something that’s happening only in this government or in the previous government. We have been telling this irrespective of whether it was the Congress government or the Bharatiya Janata Party, that we should live together in harmony.

Many BJP MPs slammed Shah Rukh over his remark, with Yogi Adityanath likening him to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

Actor-filmmaker Anupam Kher came out in support of his “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” co-star, saying politicians should stop talking rubbish about him.

While Salman refused to be drawn into the debate over BJP leaders’ attack on Shah Rukh, Sonam Kapoor said “anything that is intolerant or that is said without complete evidence is unacceptable”.