When Neil Nitin Mukesh was detained at New York airport

The actor’s fair complexion made it difficult for the immigration officials to believe that he was an Indian. This happened when Neil Nitin Mukesh flew to the US to shoot the Yashraj film New York .

The film, directed by Kabir Khan and co-starring Katrina Kaif , John Abraham and Irrfan Khan , is about the discrimination people of certain community and religion face in the US after the 9/11 attacks.

Ironically, Neil, who plays a Muslim in the film, saw life imitating art when he was detained at the airport because he looked too fair to be an Indian and that made the officials suspicious.

“I can pass off as a Britisher, American, Kashmiri easily because my skin tone and complexion can blend anywhere. But this incident changed my attitude of how I will approach my role in New York which also dwells upon discrimination,” Neil told a news agency.

To convince the immigration officials of his identity, Neil even told them he was an actor from India and they could confirm it by googling his name.

“I told him to google search my name. When he realised his folly, he was still not willing to let me go and started asking questions about my profession like what kind of films I do and why am I in New York,” the actor is quoted as saying.

In a way, Neil’s detention gave him an insight about his role in the film. The young actor said that while leaving the immigration office, he thanked the official because he had found the crux of what ‘New York’ is all about.

The film releases this Friday.

(apunkachoice)