Imagine, for a moment, Salman Khan were to change identities with (insert any uncontroversial, diplomatic-to-the-hilt Bollywood actor)... Sounds sort of unreal, no?
In an interview in 2012, Salman Khan was asked how he managed to not react to the same questions that he is asked in every single media interaction.
The actor’s response was, “Years of practise, sir! I can't guarantee that I won't react at any point, though. Kya hota hai ki joh first lot poochhega, baaki wohi poochhne lagte hain... Ek hope hoti hai ki koi tedha jawaab mil jayega, irritate ho jayenge, headline ban jayegi – toh poochhte rehte hain. Kya karein abhi? Hamein takleef yeh hoti hai ki hamein pata hai ki ab yeh level ho gaya hai questions ka – hamein jawab dena hai ab iska.”
It is this bluntness, which has become somewhat typical of Salman Khan over the years, that exudes a different charm over his fans, tolerators, and detractors alike. So much so, that one does not quite know who can pip Salman to the post of the "Most Controversial Bollywood Actor" – the only other star who comes close to him in this territory is probably Shah Rukh Khan. No one else has been this direct, this unabashed in ripping into things that have rubbed Salman on the wrong side – be it the media, his film industry colleagues, or others.
The actor’s run-ins with the law have also been more than that of your average Bollywood guy. Salman has courted controversy for several years now, and most of them have helped establish an image for him – which, pardon me for saying this, has become quite his identity. Something that people can no longer separate him from... and, well, his brand of popular films apart, is one that has been instrumental in making him this appealing.
In 2002, his ex Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had spoken out in an interview how Salman harassed her on the sets of a film, wouldn’t leave her alone right after they had broken up, and had even said that the actor had physically abused her. She had said, “After we broke up, he would call me and talk rubbish. He also suspected me of having affairs with my co-stars. I was linked up with everyone, from Abhishek Bachchan to Shah Rukh Khan. There were times when Salman got physical with me, luckily without leaving any marks. And I would go to work as if nothing had happened.”
Vivek Oberoi, whom Aishwarya dated after breaking up with Salman, had called a press conference in the past to say that Khan had been threatening him over the phone. The grapevine has never run out of stories of how Salman had apparently hit his other girlfriend, Katrina Kaif, too. After the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Khan landed in another controversy when he was interviewed by a Pakistani channel. And, staying true to his image, the actor had spoken his mind on air, saying how the attacks were hyped because "elite groups" had been targeted. All hell had broken loose after that, and Salman had had to issue an apology, too. People criticised him also because he had given an interview to a Pakistani journo.
As far as the court cases are concerned – and we’re not even going into the number of PILs and complaints against the star that are filed on probably a daily basis – Salman has quite a few to his name. Among these, the one that has haunted Salman for the longest time – 13 years and counting – is the 2002 hit-and-run case, where Khan’s SUV had rammed into the American Express Bakery in Mumbai, killing one pavement dweller and injuring four others. The case has meandered through one level to another, and documents related to the case have been reported missing, a witness has died, and finally, in the last hearing of the case that took place a few days back, Salman had said that his driver was behind the wheel that night.
“Kuch nahi kar sakte hain. Aur kar sakte hain toh karna bhi nahi chaahenge... And I don't want them to interfere in this, because koi bhi meri help karne ko aayega toh woh phasega, and I do not want any of my friends to get into any of these problems. And this is why we are fighting this in courts. We hire the best of lawyers today. Earlier, we were not prepared for this, but today, we are. Ab uske baad jo bhi hoga, woh meri taqdeer, meri destiny,” Salman had been quoted as saying when asked if he’d got any politician godfather helping him through this. His stand is something that one can only praise him for...irrespective of the politicians he flies kites with and calls on or campaigns for, and the speculations that they give rise to.
While the law takes its own course in reaching a verdict, that Salman is not getting rid of his "bad boy" image anytime soon is a fact. And one, the shedding off of which will probably reduce the Salman "aura" – for want of a better word – somewhat. As far as Bollywood is concerned, we have an abundance of "good", straight, uncontroversial people here. Having to accept Salman in the same category will be a daunting task, if not downright impossible.
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