Mumbai:
For the premieres of films like Paa, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh, Amitabh have brought their combined star power to the red carpet. At a recent awards show for Bollywood, Shah Rukh did a dance from Paa with Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan on stage, fighting whispers that the Bachchan-Khan rivalry is one of Bollywood's worst-kept secrets.
But now that a different sort of spotlight is on Shah Rukh Khan, he's being forced to get by with very little help from his friends.
As cinema owners receive warning letters from the Shiv Sena asking them not to screen Khan's forthcoming release, virtually every big actor, producer and director is silent.
No comment issued so far by Salman Khan, Aamir Khan or Akshay Kumar; even the usually-outspoken Preity Zinta has not volunteered any public support.
On Twitter, a handful of voices, including Arjun Rampal, Farhan Akhtar and Priyanka Chopra have said they stand by Shah Rukh and Karan Johar, the director of My Name is Khan.
And in the midst of the crisis, Amitabh Bachchan blogged lavish praise for Bal Thackeray, sharing that he is planning a special screening of Rann for him.
In London, Shah Rukh said he will not compromise on his values by apologizing to the Shiv Sena for saying that Pakistani players should participate in the next season of the Indian Premiere League (IPL). ''Can someone tell me what I said was wrong? I have apologised to people in the past but will someone tell me what I said was wrong. I am sad.''
In the past as well, Bollywood has been a Lonely Planet for people caught in political controversies. Nobody spoke for Aamir Khan when his Fanaa was blockaded by the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat. Preity Zinta took girl power to a whole new level when she became the only person to testify in court about the underworld's role in Bollywood. Deepa Mehta fought along for her Water when its shooting was disrupted by saffron parties.
Jaya Bachchan points out that when she was attacked by Raj Thavkeray in 2008 for choosing to speak in Hindi at a public function, it was only her family who stood by her.
The point is lost on nobody: there is business worth crores at stake, so taking on the Sena has to be the job of a Lone Ranger.
And to avoid losses, or controversies, Bollywood has repeatedly sought political patronage from the Sena, vetting the party's status as an extra-constitutional authority. It may be cowardly, but it has worked. Amitabh Bachchan's Sarkaar, loosely based on the lives of the Thackerays, was released without a hitch.
While Bollywood chooses to be seen and not heard, Shah Rukh's status on the streets of India has escalated to a real-life superhero. On the internet, in SMS-es, and in television stories, people are volunteering by the thousand to tell SRK they support him, and they will stand by him. Many comments sent to ndtv.com said the senders would go to see My Name Is Khan repeatedly, as a vote of thanks.