"I practice posture in the bathroom"

An autistic, Indian Muslim is wrong with the U.S.: Shahrukh Khan, the superstar of Indian cinema plays in "My name is Khan" his most unusual role yet. SPIEGEL ONLINE spoke with the actor on prejudices, his preparation for the movie and the football World Cup.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Khan, the character of your autistic namesake Rizvan Khan you "My Name Is Khan" in play, is probably untypical your previous role. Were you able to see deeper than similarities between himself and Rizvan?

Khan: We have all once learned how simple things: eat and sleep on time, care for others, be kind and courteous. For a child, everything is easy, because it believes it can understand what it. But life is complicated, it's as much as Displace this simplicity. In our film, now we have this figure, whose emotional life is not developed, but to remember those clear instructions. I had to Rizvan clarity only find deep inside me to play him.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: It was not hard to identify with Rizvan?

Khan: Not at all. There were just a lot of research and much hard work, especially to things done posture and eye position. I try something out in my bathroom, in silence, until everything is seated and effortlessly acts, so as it would all by itself then it is said, "Man, when did you do that?" I'm like a child, I like to hide things from the director.

SPIEGEL ONLINE in western blockbusters are: often negative roles occupied reserved Muslims, especially after 11 September 2001. Did you want to hold the Western world its prejudices towards Islam?

Khan: Yes, one of the reasons for our film is that it is these preconceptions. Sure you know the early James Bond films. Russia was the villain. English movies?Germany was the villain. Lauter prejudices, all stereotypes. should I am against such stereotypes, in my opinion, Germany will stereotyped for example not so, is running no matter how the historical development. Just because one was bad, should we say, not all were bad. And vice versa, because one is good, not all good. That's the whole message of our film.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: At home in India you belong to the Muslim minority. Have you ever been discriminated against in your country?

Khan: Yes. I never had problems because of my religion, it was always accepted without question. Of course, there are small incidents like the one in America ...

SPIEGEL ONLINE: You have been August 2009 by U.S. officials at the airport in Newark recorded in, searched and interrogated.

Khan: So that's just in a country that calls for stricter rules. It affects not only me but other people. I will never take such person.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: "My Name Is Khan" is not the most popular Bollywood romance full of song and dance numbers. Could it be that ardent fans miss it?

Khan: Indian fans certainly not wherever they live. The film is also so very emotional. Indian films revolve around just not alone Song & Dance, which is believed only in the West. Chinese films are indeed not completely out of Kung Fu.The main thing is that the movie you still have taken and brought to tears. Were the actors good? If the camera is working well? I think the content is up to date: How the West sees Muslims. There is also a love story, that's enough, even without Revue deposits.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mr. Khan, you were a football fan as early as 2008 at the European Championships in Vienna, will you be this time in South Africa for the World Cup?

Khan: Sure, the last seven days, with my son.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: And which team you want to cheer?

Khan: Brazil. And Germany in the final. I like the resilience of Germany, who always fight until the last moment.

Interview by Ilse Henckel

Source: http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/kino/0,1518,700091,00.html