娱乐英语新闻:Indian movie icon criticizes Hindu outfit's threat to disrupt movie release

MUMBAI, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A member of the iconic Indian movie family Bachchan Saturday criticized a Hindu radical party for threatening to disrupt the release of a new movie by another film icon of the country for the latter's support to Pakistani participation in Indian cricket tournament.

Actor son of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, said on his twitter that art and culture must not be mixed with politics.

"All that has been happening over the past few days is very unfortunate and sad. I believe that sports, art and culture should be above politics. My family and I have faced many such incidents in the past. All I wish for is peace and harmony," Abhishek posted on micro-blogging site Twitter.

Abhishek, however, made no specific reference to Shah Rukh Khan, who is under attack from the Shiv Sena political outfit for favoring Pakistani participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket.

Mumbai-based Shiv Sena activists are seeking an apology from Shah Rukh Khan over his remarks on Pakistani participation in IPL, failing which they have threatened to ban his coming release, "My Name Is Khan", in Mumbai theaters.

The movie has been already launched in the United States and Europe.

A defiant Shah Rukh has said he has nothing to retract: "I don't know what the issue is all about... I don't know what I am supposed to retract. Am I supposed to retract the fact I am an Indian? Should I say I don't want anyone to come to my country?"

The Shiv Sena, which calls for preference of rights for local Marathis in Mumbai, has also been engaged in a bitter war of words with Nehru-Gandhi scion and Congress party general secretary Rahul Gandhi over the presence of North Indian emigrant workers in Mumbai.