Kuala Lumpur: Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, inadvertently sucked into a controversy over a title given to him by a southern Malaysian state, has found a supporter in ex-Premier Mahathir Mohamad who said the actor has helped this country's tourism industry by filming here.

Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years, said he was embarrassed over the controversy arising from the decision of Malacca state to confer Khan with the title Datuk, which is equivalent to Knighthood, and added that deserving local artistes should be rewarded as well.

The former premier said such titles had been previously bestowed upon foreigners deemed to have contributed to the nation, and that some of them "even contributed less than Shahrukh."

He said Shahrukh was among the handful of famous names willing to make films here. "I had previously tried to encourage Bollywood filmmakers to shoot here, to introduce the country as a tourism draw. Shahrukh responded to the invitation."

"Many of his (Shahrukh's) films feature famous Malaysian attractions. Not only are we able to attract tourists, but filming here incurred huge expenses for the Bollywood companies. Locals and many others gained," Mahathir was quoted as saying by local media.

He said Shahrukh has also performed for free to help charities raise funds. "His choosing to film here encouraged other Bollywood filmmakers to do the same as well."

Khan is scheduled to fly down to Malacca on November 29 to receive his Datuk title.
Source : PTI