New Delhi: First, it was his comment on “religious tolerance” in the country, and now Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has demanded a boycott of his film “Dilwale”. Controversies rarely leave Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, but he says they have no effect on his name or fame. “People need a chance to express themselves and then they use public figures… People stand on the shoulders of public figures to say what they want to. It’s a small thing, but then we have to sit and justify and explain that we are patriotic and nationalist,” Shah Rukh said here.

The 50-year-old spoke when he was asked to comment on the controversies surrounding him, at a press meet on a sunny afternoon here on Wednesday. Earlier last month, the actor faced a backlash for his comment on rising intolerance, which, he said, “would take India to the Dark Ages.” BJP MP Yogi Adityanath compared SRK’s “language” to that of militant leader Hafiz Saeed, whereas VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi called him an “agent” of Pakistan.

He shared that several years ago he was told by a well-wisher that the day he earns fame, he will be at a greater risk of landing in controversies. “I have a name since a lot of years now, Mashallah, and now it (controversy) happens every week or month… It’s strange that mostly it happens around the release of a film. There are opportunist people,” he said.

Nevertheless, his over 25 years of experience as an actor has taught him one lesson. “I get so much love from people…. I understand that these things don’t have any effect… Neither on us, our film, name or work.” SRK was here with Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon to promote “Dilwale”, which is releasing on Friday.