Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh recently shared a startling experience from his visit to the US, where he was detained and questioned about his nationality at a New York airport. Speaking to Mashable India, Neil revealed that despite holding an Indian passport, immigration officers refused to believe he was Indian.
The incident took place during the filming of New York (2009), ironically a movie that revolved around post-9/11 racial profiling. Neil recalled, “I was detained at the airport. They refused to believe that I had an Indian passport and that I was Indian. They didn’t even let me answer or say anything for myself."
What started as a routine check soon turned into an exasperating four-hour ordeal as officials kept questioning him without giving him a chance to clarify his identity. Neil recounted how the situation finally de-escalated. “After four hours, they came and asked, ‘What do you have to say?’ and I simply said, ‘Just Google me.’"
The response seemingly caught the officers off guard. Embarrassed by their mistake, they quickly changed their tone, shifting from interrogation to curiosity. “They started asking me about my grandfather, my father, and my family’s legacy," Neil added.
Coming from a prestigious lineage in Indian cinema, Neil is the grandson of legendary playback singer Mukesh and the son of noted singer Nitin Mukesh. On the work front, the actor is currently seen in the satirical action comedy 'Hisaab Barabar'.
