Mumbai, February 6
Adopting a conciliatory approach towards Shiv Sena upon his arrival from abroad, actor Shah Rukh Khan today said he was willing to speak to party supremo Bal Thackeray so that theatres screening his latest film ‘My Name Is Khan’ were not attacked by Sena cadres.

Arriving in Mumbai this afternoon, Khan told reporters at the airport that he was willing to meet Thackeray if he was invited to do so. “I have been there so often. Yes, I would like to go and have a drink with him,” Khan said.

Shah Rukh, however, made it clear that he would not go on his own and apologise to the Thackerays. “…on this matter, I don't see… there is no reason for going and asking… but if my stand needs to be explained to someone… I don't think there is an issue on that front.”

Several of his statements, said the actor, had been misconstrued, as he only aimed to promote goodwill among different countries. The star went on to say that he was proud to be an Indian. “If I say anything it will be misconstrued… but… I am what I am because of Mumbai,” he said.

Khan, who also owns the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL team, came in for tough questioning from reporters for not including a single Pakistani player though he himself criticised their exclusion later. “We had only one slot open and we had to be careful of the prevailing atmosphere,” he said.

Ahead of Shah Rukh Khan’s arrival in Mumbai, Saamna published yet another hard-hitting editorial against the actor. “No, we won't oppose the release of Khan’s latest film since the Italian lady and her young prince are supporting him,” the article attributed to Thackeray said. But the sting came elsewhere in the piece: “Let Pakistani cricketers play anywhere they want in the country. Let Australia continue attacking Indians. Let Pakistan continue 26/11-like attacks anywhere in India.”

Saamna editor Sanjay Raut later told reporters that the article’s intent was sarcasm and the party would oppose the release of Khan’s movie.

Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray later reacted by saying Khan would have to apologise. “Let Shah Rukh Khan come and place his views before Balasaheb and then we will decide.”