NEW DELHI: In the line of fire following the arrest of his bodyguards on charges of manhandling and racially abusing parents and children at an Islamic school in Mumbai, Brad Pitt said he was ''horrified'' by the allegations and clarified that it was a ''terrible misunderstanding''.
''I have to say that we are horrified by these allegations,'' Pitt said in an interview to a TV channel, to be telecast on Saturday night.
The bodyguards were arrested in Mumbai after an incident in the school on Thursday where the crew for the film 'Mighty Heart', starring Angelina Jolie, was shooting.
Trouble started when the movement of children and parents in areas of the school was restrained. This allegedly led to a scuffle between the bodyguards and parents after which a complaint was filed against the guards.
The parents alleged that they were pushed around and abused and the bodyguards also made racist remarks.
The three bodyguards -- Thomas Edward MacAdam, Robert Patrick Dunn and Micheal John Bret( all British nationals) -- were arrested and later released on bail of Rs 25,000 each.
''The turn of events is baffling to us. It is just completely anti-thetical of what the film is about. Our intention for the story is to focus on a similarity of cultures. It is a story of a journalist who believes in the truth and makes the world a better place by enlightening everyone on a point of view and believes in dialogues...he was great lover of culture and the world itself," the Hollywood actor said in the interview to NDTV.”
''For Angelina and me to stand up and tell this story is this idea of embracing our cultures. This idea of acceptance, openness and dialogue with each other...This idea of tolerance which we believe in with all our heart and if you look at our history what we have been involved with....we will never work with anyone who thinks otherwise...,'' he said.
Pitt said the fear that such misunderstandings could taint the message of their film led him to make a statement.
''We are here to answer any allegation and set the record straight because these are not our intentions. This is a horrible misunderstanding but it is just a misunderstanding and we hope to establish that truth so the film and its message are not tainted because the history is worth telling today,'' he said.
Pitching in for Brad, Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, who co-stars in 'Mighty Heart', said, ''I can vouch that Brad wouldn't employ racially prejudiced people. Whatever I have understood about him, about the intention of the film, why they are making film, what story is it all about...this is an actor I know...''
''We have a multi-racial family. It is important to us that our kids grow up understanding their own cultures, their own religions, of the country they are from.'' Pitt added.
