Neil Nitin Mukesh Recalls Being Detained At New York Airport: 'They Didn't Believe I Was Indian'

Bollywood actor, Neil Nitin Mukesh hails from a prestigious family of artists in India. He is the son of celebrated singer, Nitin Mukesh, and the grandson of legendary playback singer, Mukesh. He himself has been associated with the industry for several years and is a heartthrob among female fans for his good looks. The actor recently opened up about a shocking incident where he was detained at a New York airport because immigration officers refused to believe he was Indian. 

Neil Nitin Mukesh recalls the time he had to undergo a four-hour ordeal at the airport to prove his nationality

Neil recently had a candid discussion with Mashable India. Talking about his strange experiences over the years, the actor recalled an incident that took place during the filming of his 2009 film, New York, co-starring John Abraham and Katrina Kaif. Neil was detained at the New York airport as he looked ‘too fair’ to be an Indian. Ironically, the film they were filming at that time was also centred around post-9/11 racial profiling. 

What started as a routine immigration check escalated into an ordeal as officials questioned him relentlessly, refusing to accept Neil’s nationality. They did not even let the actor speak for himself or explain anything. He was quoted as saying:

“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."

How Neil managed to get out of the situation

After hours of frustration, Neil decided to handle the situation through a different strategy. When the airport officials did not let him say anything in response to their allegations, he simply asked them to google him. Neil told Mashable India:

“After four hours, they came and asked, ‘What do you have to say?’ and I simply said, ‘Just Google me.’"

His response caught them off guard, leading to an immediate shift in their attitude. Embarrassed by their mistake, the officers went from interrogators to curious fans, suddenly asking him about his grandfather, legendary playback singer Mukesh, and his father, singer Nitin Mukesh. Neil added:

“They started asking me about my grandfather, my father, and my family’s legacy.”

About Neil Nitin Mukesh

Neil comes from a prestigious lineage of musical stalwarts, but he chose a different path from his father and grandfather. He chose acting over singing and made his official Bollywood debut in 2007 with the film, Johnny Gaddaar. He is praised for his performances in films like New York, Lafangey Parindey, David, and Saaho. On his work front, Neil is currently seen in Ashwni Dhir’s satirical action comedy, Hisaab Barabar, co-starring R Madhavan, Kirti Kulhari, and Rashami Desai.

What are your views on Neil Nitin Mukesh being detained for not fitting the descriptions of a typical Indian man at the New York airport?

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