Amitabh Bachchan offered to appeal for the release of three Indian hostages in Iraq - if the government asked him to do so.

Stating that the hostage situation was at a "delicate" stage, he said he would not like to jeopardise the ongoing negotiations by making a unilateral appeal to free the captives.

News reports quoting key mediator Sheikh Hisham Al-Dulaimi had said he wanted Bachchan to appeal to the kidnappers for freeing the hostages.

"I am only hearing reports through the media in this regard. Though I have a lot of regard and respect for the media, I will wait for the government officials to advise me on what to do," Bachchan said.

The star, however, said if he were asked to appeal to the kidnappers, he would tell them to "please release the hostages on humanitarian grounds."

Leading Bollywood film stars Salman Khan, Preity Zinta and Bhoomika Chawla made separate appeals on TV news channels for the release of the three Indians - Antaryami Bains, Tilak Raj and Sukhdev Singh abducted in Iraq on July 21.