In what can be termed as one of the historic moments for India, the iconic Ram Temple will finally be inaugurated in Ayodhya on January 22, Monday. The biggest names from all walks of life have been invited to witness and participate in the event, but some equally big names have also been excluded from the star-studded guest list. Three of the biggest names of the country who failed to make it to the invitees list are Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan.
The three Khans of Bollywood, who are known as the three pillars of stardom and cinema in India have not been invited for the Pran Pratistha ceremony of the Ram temple, and it has not gone unnoticed by their fans.
While the move by the central government, which is at the forefront of the Ram Temple consecration, has definitely grabbed eyeballs, there has not been any clear explanation as to why the three Khans, who are otherwise quite close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and regular faces at major national events, were not invited for what is being touted as the biggest event of the decade.
Now, is it because of their religious beliefs and practices? Is it because they are Muslims? Well, only those who have decided to not invite the Khans can answer that. However, it is to be noted that all the three of them -- Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan -- have never shied away from practicing rituals or attending events related to Hinduism.
The visuals of Shah Rukh Khan visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine and the Sai Baba temple in Shirdi in December are still very fresh in our minds. In September, he also visited the Tirumala temple and sought blessings with his daughter, Suhana. Not just that, but every year, the actor is also seen bringing home Ganpati Bappa during Ganeshotsav, worshipping him with his family, and bidding him farewell by the end of the festival, only to welcome him in the next year.
As for Salman Khan, he too is not averse to the Hindu culture. He has been an ardent follower of Lord Ganesha, and the Ganpati celebrations at his place are probably one of the biggest in B-Town. Not just that, but the actor played the biggest bhakt of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman in his blockbuster film Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), and throughout the film, he was seen chanting "Jai Shri Ram", with Munni from Pakistan by his side.
Aamir Khan recently got his daughter Ira Khan married, and all the pre-wedding and wedding festivities saw Hindu rituals being followed. Both the former wives of the actor, Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao, are born Hindus, and though his kids Ira, Junaid and Azad use the surname 'Khan', they are often seen following Hindu customs with equal reverence.
This entire episode also brings back some iconic photos of the Khans mingling with PM Modi in the past. Remember the epic selfie of Shah Rukh, Aamir and the Prime Minister? Also, the time when Salman was one of the first ones to mark his attendance at Modi's swearing in ceremony in 2014?
While a slew of celebs have already reached Ayodhya to attend the Pran Pratistha ceremony of the Ram temple, a few netizens also questioned about and rued the absence of the Khans, who have been playing a major role in representing India globally for many decades now.
"It would’ve been spectacular to have Shahrukh Khan, the true secular son of this soil 🇮🇳, at the Ram Mandir 🛕 inauguration in Ayodhya," an X user tweeted.
Another wrote, "Three iconic Khans, Shah Rukh, Salman, and Aamir, yet to receive an invitation for the monumental event in Ayodhya. Let's hope unity transcends beyond screens!"
Now, if the Khans will visit Ayodhya on a later date or not, only time will tell.
Meanwhile, among the celebs who have been invited for the mega event in Ayodhya are Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Rajinikanth, Ram Charan, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Jr NTR, Anupam Kher, among scores of other names.
