Salim Khan echoes son Salman’s ‘jo dar gaya, woh bach gaya’ remark on social distancing; explains why he’s had to stay away from family
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 10, 2020)

For several years now, veteran scriptwriter Salim Khan’s seafacing apartment in Bandra’s Bandstand has been an open house, with close friends of the Khan-daan often dropping by to meet one or the other member of the family. While his eldest son, Salman Khan, also holds fort at Galaxy Apartments—with a ground-floor apartment—younger sons Arbaaz and Sohail, stay barely a stone’s throw away.

However, Salman, who is extremely close to his father and mother, Salma, has been at the family’s farmhouse in Panvel for the last three weeks. He moved before the nation-wide lockdown was declared to contain the spread of Coronavirus. In a video he shared online recently, the Dabangg actor revealed that he hasn’t seen his father ever since. Nor has his nephew, Nirvaan (Sohail’s son), who is camping with him there. Recalling “Jo dar gaya, samjho mar gaya”—one of the famous punchlines delivered by Gabbar Singh, the antagonist of Sholay, which was written by Salim saab and Javed Akhtar—Salman admitted that he is afraid, but in the prevailing situation, “Jo dar gaya, wohi bach gaya”. Nirvaan echoed the statement.

When quizzed on the subject of social distancing, Salim saab asserts that as a family, the Khans are taking the shutdown as normally as possible. “Salman and Nirvaan can’t come here, so they are in Panvel. When they can come, they will. There also, they are at home and we are in constant touch over video calls,” he reasons, pointing out that as the son of a DIG of Police, he is a law-abiding citizen.

The 84-year-old veteran points out that there are other families staying apart and trying to stay connected through calls. “This situation is unprecedented, no one was prepared for it. If someone is infected and comes in contact with others, they may get ill too. People are dying because of this virus, so, we must take all precautionary measures, like washing hands, avoiding shaking hands, and whatever else the authorities are advising to avoid catching an infection,” he avers.

Though Salim saab does go for a stroll in his building compound if need be, he usually stays indoors because, as he points out, if we don’t follow the guidelines, it would get difficult for everyone. “We’ve made provisions for those who work for us, including drivers and house help, besides giving them masks and sanitisers. There are many people who are struggling and we are doing our bit to help them, like getting food packets delivered to them,” he says simply.

Salim saab has seen Salman’s post and echoes his sentiment. “This is not the time for false bravado. There is a disease, and people are dying since a vaccine is not available yet. What is dearest to you is your life, and that of your family and close ones. If something happens to one person, the whole family is impacted,” he maintains.

His family lost a dear one recently. The patriarch’s grand-nephew, Abdullah, passed away on March 31 at the age of 38 due to a heart-related ailment. The family is waiting till restrictions are eased to visit Abdullah’s family in Salim saab’s hometown, Indore. The loss is too recent to discuss, but before signing off, Salim saab warns, “Stay in, stay safe, stay healthy. Never take a step that will jeopardise your life and impact your family.”

Salim Khan gets emotional on his one-of-a-kind throwback to the legendary showman
Khalid Mohamed (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 18, 2017)

Salim Khan reveals how he was offered to play the character of Bajirao in the ’50s film, and why it was never made
Upala KBR (DNA; December 21, 2015)


Khan confirms that Vishram had approached him to play Bajirao in a film of the same name, “Before Vishram approached me, I had done a couple of small roles. He couldn’t engage any big star to act in his film as the actor playing Bajirao had to shave his hair completely. I was a newcomer. I would have cut my head for the role (laughs)! It was a big break for me so I met them for an interview for the role. In those days, there were no auditions. I went to Vishram’s Worli residence. He liked me and offered me the main lead. The script had not been finalised neither were the heroines. As Vishram was making a proposal, it turned out to be an expensive film, being a costume period drama, which wouldn't recover the cost with a newcomer playing the Bajirao, so the idea was dropped.” Khan acted in 20 odd films after that before finally giving it up voluntarily to purse an extremely successful career in script writing

Bhansali’s film has been adapted from NS Inamdar’s novel Rau and is a fictionalised romance-drama that encapsulates the 20 year reign of the Maratha warrior Bajirao and his relationship with his second wife Mastani. By a strange twist of fate, almost 50 years later, Khan’s son Salman was offered to play the main lead in Bajirao Mastani. “When Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) wanted to make that film with Salman. I had advised him to ask one of Vishram’s (as he had died by then) family members if they could give him that script. Vishram was a sensible, educated man, who had directed some films earlier and had done a lot of research on it and it was a complete script. I told Sanjay one of the family members might have it, but he had to drop the idea as there was some problem finding the family.”

Khan says that he plans to watch Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani now that it’s released, “Yes, maybe tomorrow
or day after, I will watch the film at a trial.”

A relieved Salim Khan talks about son Salman's acquittal and the ordeal his family has been through over the years
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 12, 2015)


Salim Khan is a relieved man today with the Bombay High Court on Thursday acquitting son Salman of all charges. The actor was accused of running over five people sleeping on the pavement in 2002, and killing one of them. The Sessions Court in May had pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to five years, the higher court upturned that verdict. "We've always believed in the judiciary, it's a good judgement and we are very happy, " says Salim.

The veteran scriptwriter is however peeved that on TV debates many are talking about "shoddy investigations". "It was the same allegation, the same papers were submitted in court again and the same charge-sheet was filed. No one called the investigations shoddy when the Session Court sentenced Salman to five years in jail?" he argues.

Salim wonders why questions like "Who killed the man then? Who was driving the car?" are cropping up now. He points out that the driver, Ashok Singh, had gone to the cops "but unhone usse bhaga diya because they wanted to pin the blame on Salman, saying he was behind the wheel and drunk".

Another allegation which has upset him is that his son "walked away scot free". He asserts though he's embarrassed to express his emotions publicly, for 13 years Salman and the family suffered pain and terror. "Salman went to jail for 18 days and my biggest fear was what if kal ko usse sazaa ho jaye? In the last years of my life I wouldn't want to see my son in prison. As a father I wouldn't be able to eat without wondering what he's getting. Yeh kya sazaa nahin thi? It was no picnic for us?" he grouses.

Salim admits that one of the reasons Salman did not get married and have children was because of the apprehension that one day he might be sentenced. "Jab bhi mauka aata tha, the thought of what would happen to his wife and children tormented him," he says. Now, will one of the country's most eligible bachelors finally tie the knot? "Shaadi vyah is written in your destiny. No one can make anyone commit to it. If it's in his destiny, it will happen," Salim shrugs.

And what plans to bring in Salman's 50th birthday? "No plans," he says shortly. "It'll be a normal birthday. Whoever drops by unhein hum khilayenge and wish for their blessings. I've seen Salman grow and become more mature over the years. I wish him good health, good movies and happiness. I want my son to be happy."

A new book by Diptakirti Chaudhuri on the “unbeatable” partnership between Bollywood writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, details the infamous split and how it affected the two, especially Khan who, took some time to return with a bang. Excerpts
MID-DAY (November 29, 2015)

The seeds of a rift were probably sown over a longish period of time as both writers became major stars in their own right and found their own circles of friends. The age difference between the two (Salim was ten years older than Javed), was also partly responsible for this split, for they had completely different family cycles (Salim’s eldest child was eight years old when Javed got married) and wholly different sets of friends. While they worked together and spent long hours ideating and writing, and in business meetings, their personal lives did not coincide. Their different lives also brought hangers-on who individually convinced each that his talent was the driving force in the partnership, while the other one was just along for the ride. This was the likely psychological background to a series of events that acted as the final trigger for their separation.

In her Marathi book Yahi Rang, Yahi Roop journalist Anita Padhye, who did a long interview with Salim, describes the sequence of events from his point of view.

Salim-Javed approached Amitabh Bachchan with the script of a film that would eventually become Mr India. Bachchan declined, citing the invisible-man concept as a deterrent since — he believed the audience came to see him in a film and not merely to hear him. Salim-Javed’s conviction that Amitabh’s voice would bring a lot of value to the role was not something the superstar shared. According to the book, Javed felt that the duo shouldn’t work with Amitabh any more after this ‘insult’, but Salim was not in complete agreement with this suggestion. A few days after this, Javed was at Amitabh’s Holi party and told the star that Salim wasn’t keen on working with Amitabh any longer. This misunderstanding caused a considerable strain in the duo’s working relationship.

Meanwhile, Javed had also started penning lyrics for films (Yash Chopra’s Silsila being his first) and he proposed to Salim that they write lyrics under their joint name as well. His plan was to offer a complete script and the song lyrics as a package from Salim-Javed but Salim refused. Salim says, 'I don’t consider it right to take credit for something I didn’t do. Javed would write lyrics, have meetings with music directors and I would sit there contributing nothing. This was not acceptable to me.’ Besides, he explained further, if there was one aspect of their job to which he made no contribution, outsiders might assume that was the case with the other aspect as well.

According to him, it was Javed who proposed that they split. Salim remembers that day vividly. They were at Javed's residence, discussing and brainstorming on projects. After a full day’s work, when it was time for Salim to leave, Javed said, ‘I was thinking that maybe we should work separately.’ Salim took a few moments to digest this and replied, ‘I am sure you have said this after considerable thought and nothing I say will change your mind,’ and began walking towards his car. When Javed, as was his habit, joined him, Salim turned to him and said, ‘I am old enough to take care of myself,’ and sent him back. That was the exact point in time when the split happened.

Over the next few weeks, gossip columns speculated about the reasons and trade magazines ‘announced’ solo projects, but the moment they shook hands in front of Javed's Juhu home on the evening of 21 June 1981, Salim-Javed once again became Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. The date is so easily identifiable because it was the same day that Salim Khan got news that Helen’s mother was seriously unwell and had to leave Bombay. She passed away later that evening and he became busy with her funeral, remaining away from Bombay and unreachable for a few days. When he returned, he started getting calls enquiring about the split, as Javed had already talked about it to some people in the industry.

Javed seemed to manage the post-split period much better as several directors announced prestigious projects with him immediately afterwards. This was possibly because he was already actively soliciting work as a lyricist and was in talks with directors.

In the two years after the split, he had writing projects with Ramesh Sippy, Rahul Rawail, Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai. Most of these films also had lyrics by him, thus making him the single- point writer he had proposed Salim-Javed become. In a November 1981 interview, Javed said, ‘I really don't know how I will fare on my own. I have signed four films which, considering my past record, is a lot for me!’ Salim, on the other hand, was less prepared for the split and did not go around asking for work. In fact, he was quite frustrated with the entire episode and took a long sabbatical in London. He felt at peace in his new surroundings till someone referred to him as ‘Helen’s husband’. That was when he decided to return to Bombay and seek work. He expected his past reputation would precede him and imagined producers would be lining up like before to work with him. However, the industry where heroes changed every Friday had moved on. As many past stars have found out — to their dismay — the industry can be extremely generous to those in favour and just as ruthless to those out of circulation.

Salim speaks very bitterly about this phase. ‘When I returned, it was the telephone that reminded me how easily people forget. There was a time when I’d make my drink, and then keep the phone off the hook. And here I was, checking the phone every now and then to see if it was working.’ After Shakti - where he had shared credit with Javed - Salim's next release came nearly four years later. Naam turned out to be Salim's super comeback, putting him firmly back on the radar of all major producers. He established a successful working relationship with Mahesh Bhatt and soon enough, all the well-known directors of the time - Ramesh Sippy, Rahul Rawail, Manmohan Desaiwere working with him as well. Post-split, Salim and Javed's relationship went from bitter to neutral to cordial.

In October 1981, Salim said in an interview, ‘If we have split today, it is only because we, without the interference of a third party, have decided to call it a day. I too don’t know the real reason for this break-up. One day, Javed came to me and told me he wanted to operate separately. Since I respect his decisions, I did not even ask him why he wanted us to split! It’s sad we had to break up our team, but I’m very happy that we are still friends!’

A few months later (in February 1982), he was more abrasive — ‘ I don’t ever want to make up with Javed even if Javed were to apologise or suggest a patch- up.’ … This led to considerable speculation about an alternate time in which Salim-Javed did not split.

One of the proponents of this line of speculation has been Amitabh Bachchan, who has been known to wonder if his career would have seen a different trajectory had the split not happened. Bachchan openly admitted the vacuum in his career due to the split: ‘It’s a shame that they parted ways, they were truly unbeatable. Quite often, the media would conjecture - what will happen to Amitabh Bachchan without Salim- Javed? Really, once they separated I couldn't ever get that kind of intensity again, that power was missing.’ Javed Akhtar had once half-jokingly said that Amitabh Bachchan should have found other good writers since they had failed.

Film critic and director Khalid Mohammad says, ‘If Salim-Javed had continued as a team, perhaps they would have become jaded. Yet, it can't be denied that their parting was premature. At least half a dozen films could have emerged from them as a team.’

Excerpted with permission from Written By Salim- Javed: The Story of Hindi Cinema’s Greatest Screenwriters, by Diptakirti Chaudhuri, published by Random House India

Says Salim Khan, who turned down the award asserting that he will not accept a lesser award than his erstwhile partner Javed Akhtar who has received both the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; January 26, 2015)

The Padma Awards have stirred up yet another controversy with Salim Khan refusing to accept the Padma Shri bestowed on him. "Refused is too harsh a word since I have nothing against the awards," says Salim. "I just think that after 55 years and over 40 films, I deserve more than a Padma Shri for my contributions to Hindi cinema, given that my juniors have already got it years before. Even my earstwhile partner, Javed Akhtar, has received both a Padma Shri and a Padma Bhushan."

Salim who with Javed scripted blockbusters like Andaz, Haathi Mere Saathi, Seeta Aur Geeta, Zanjeer, Deewar, Sholay, Trishul, Don, Kranti and Mr India, Naam and Kabzaa among others after their split, points out that this has nothing to do with the ruling government or Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Modi saab and I share a relationship of mutual respect that goes back to before he became a PM and is beyond all this. The people who choose the recipients should have spent a little more time discussing what I deserve after all these years," he says. "In the past, like Shankar-Jaikishen, Salim-Javed as a team has bagged six Filmfare awards for the work we did together. But when the Padam Shri and Padma Bhushan were given to Javed, no one remembered that for 22 years we worked together."

Will he change his mind if the award is elevated to a Padma Bhushan? Salim is categorical that it would be wrong on his part to accept a Padma Bhushan now.

"It would set a wrong precedent," he reasons. "Awards are a good incentive for young people as recognition and appreciation for their work. But for me, the excitement has long ebbed. I have never craved awards. When I accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award recently, it was because Mukesh Bhatt requested me and having worked with his father and his brother, Mahesh Bhatt, in films like Naam and Kabzaa, I couldn't say 'no'. Even this award came my way without any lobbying on my part. But I wish I had got what I deserved." 
----------------------------------
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; January 26, 2015)

Writer Salim Khan has refused to accept the Padma Shri honour, the fourth highest civilan award in the country. Speaking to hitlist, he says, “Now they are offering me the award that the others received much earlier. My contribution to cinema has been much more than what is being offered to me (as an acknowledgment). So, I have refused to accept it.”

Writer Udaya Tara Nayar agrees with Khan’s argument. She says, “People from the film industry who are very junior to him have got this award. That includes Madhuri Dixit, Saif Ali Khan and a few other actors. Just because he supported the BJP (during elections), it does not mean that they can give any award to him. If they wanted to honour him, they could have given him the Padma Bhushan or Padma Vibhushan.” 

Meanwhile, thespian Dilip Kumar, who was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 1991, will receive the Padma Vibhushan, confirms his wife and veteran actress, Saira Banu. Amitabh Bachchan’s name apparently also figures in the list of Padma Vibhushan awardees this year.

The Hindi film industry has been recommending Dilip Kumar’s name for the Bharat Ratna honour for more than five years now but is yet to get a response from the government. The same holds true for Dadasaheb Phalke too.

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; November 23, 2014)

Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; January 15, 2014)

Mahesh Bhatt calls Salim Khan’s home ‘The Mughal Room’ as it is open to all his friends and visitors for lunch and dinner until post midnight. It is assumed that if there is a visitor at Galaxy’s first floor (Salim Khan’s Bandstand home) and if it is lunch or dinner time, the visitor is expected to join in. Salim sahab has always believed in the saying, ‘Mehmaan tumpe ehsaan karta hai, apni kismet ka khana tumhari table pe aake khata hai.’ Salman Khan has clearly taken after his father and knows the joy of giving. It was special to meet Salman over lunch with his parents, eating his crab curry, dirtying his hands like all boys do. We spoke to both his parents about the goods and bads about their son Salman.
 
IN CONVERSATION WITH SALIM KHAN ABOUT HIS SON SALMAN:  
Was Salman always a good human being or he became one as he grew up? He was always a sensitive boy to human suffering and friends and family. Helping is some kind of sacrifice. He would always bring people home right from when he was a child. He must be about 10 years old when, at his school, the father said to all the students in the class that there were certain boys who could not go home for lunch as their parents were working and so their homes were closed. The father told the students that if any one of them could afford it, they should take one boy with them home for lunch. Salman immediately asked the father, ‘How many kids are there?’ He said there are 12. Salman said, ‘I will take all of them.’ And he would get them all home day after day in his jeep that would go and pick him up from school. They would come home for lunch and all eat here. They have now all become big boys, but still come home and remember those times. I am very fond of all these things. I always tell people that they don’t know the pleasure of giving. If you give to a man who really needs it, you get another level of happiness. People who don’t give, don’t know that pleasure. Once there was a poor boy called Mohan. He was Salman’s friend and his age (10 years). Salman came and said to me, ‘Daddy, Mohan wants to talk to you’. Mohan said to me, ‘I want to keep saw dust in a freezer for the fishermen who don’t have cold storage during summer. I want to provide this service to them and make money out of that and want 300 to buy a freezer’. I did not know whether he would actually start his work with that money, but I gave him the money. The summer was over and he came home with a small box of sweets. He then again came a few days before Diwali and wanted to keep fireworks and sell to the kids around and wanted 1000. Diwali finished and he again brought a box of sweets. Recently he came three years back. I was walking on the promenade in front of our house that time. He saw me and started shouting, ‘Uncle, uncle, uncle’. He got off his car with a driver and said, ‘Uncle, do you recognise me? I am Salman’s friend Mohan. You remember you gave me money. Today I have a house in Bandra.’ Salman showed that promise as a child. The other quality he has is that usually when a person becomes a big person, he starts keeping big company too — ministers, industrialists etc. but Salman still has friends who are old. The sign of a good person is if he has old friends and servants and in his case both are true.
 
What would you like to improve about Salman? He had only one problem that even when he became a star, he wanted to behave like a normal person and that was not possible. People have some expectations about how you behave and what you do. But even as a star, he wanted to have his tea and bhel puri on the road, get into a rickshaw when he wanted, but that is not feasible. Even now, he is very grounded but at least he has understood that people look upto him and that he is a public figure. Earlier he would live as if there is no difference. The other side of the coin of being a celebrity also troubles him where he is not treated like a normal citizen, but has to keep paying the price of being a celebrity. As a father, I have never defended him in his two cases, but only want that he should be treated like a normal person would and not penalised for being a star.

Are you aware that Salman really loves you? When you have extreme love, you have to hide it as it gets conveyed without expressing it. Yes, I know he is very fond of me and his brothers and sisters and friends and has done every time for his family that very few people do. His effort has always been to make them stand on their feet.
 
Salim sahab, Salman is similar to you in many ways? Barring just one or two, he is in touch with all his exgirlfriends. I too am in touch with each and every girlfriend I have had right from 1956. If any one of them has a problem, I am there. The reason for that is that firstly, we have never parted with any kind of bitterness. And when we parted, we did that with respect. We have never bitched about that person or named her. She may have become someone’s wife and she may have told her husband but we will never embarrass her. In his life also, if any of his girlfriends have a problem, they will consult us, in some cases even their husbands may not know. I have at least 5-6 ex-girlfriends who are constantly in touch with me. Same for Salman. He can get a new girlfriend, but the old ones remain in touch. They all like him and in my case too, they respect me. Normally when you part, you become bitter. But it has not happened with either him or me.
 
What is the emotion behind doing this? If you have loved a girl, there is a sanctity to it, there is a beauty to that relationship and thus, it should never be spoilt by discussing it or abusing it. Once Salman asked me, ‘Was so and so your girlfriend?’ I said, ‘No, I won’t answer this question’. He again asked, ‘Did you know her well?’ I said, ‘No, I will not answer this question and will advise you that you also not talk about your girlfriends.’ And he has never discussed his girlfriends. This is very personal and private and not for public exhibition. You should not complicate her life. Recently, I was in church for someone’s death and met one of his ex-girlfriends and brought her home for lunch.
 
His girlfriends tend to remain in touch with his family? That is because we have never interfered in his personal life and have also treated them very well even though we were never too intimate with them. They would all come and eat with us. We never took sides when they had problems. If they met us outside, we still met them the same way even after they had broken up. If Salman and his girlfriend would have a problem, they would, of course, talk to his mother over long durations on the phone, but with me, there was always that barrier of respect.
 
Would you like Salman to get married? I will never tell him to, as I don’t want to be held responsible for that decision later. The day his bell will ring and he feels that he can get married to a particular girl, he will. Till now, he has had no such girl in his life. So far, the girls that came into his life, came at a time when their careers were very important for them. They were focused at that time and there is nothing wrong with that. And then success and popularity are such an intoxication that you don’t want to give that up for the sake of a man. So, for them marriage was not such a priority at that time. Kabhi kabhi daaru peeke Salman bol deta hai ki shaadi karna chahata hoon, but he forgets it by morning. Kisi din daru peeke shaadi karlega. Kisse karta hai I have never interfered with their emotional lives. Parents should not interfere in personal things. You must respect a child’s choice. He is most attached to both his parents. When he wants to go for a sensible answer, he will come to me. When he wants an emotional opinion, he will go to his mother. I will never warn him about thinking before you act,as every child needs to learn from his own experiences just as I have learnt from mine. Salman has an overwhelming quality of emotion. If he is angry, and samne wala person comes and hugs him and says sorry, then he forgets also.
 
Salman has also been written about as having a violent streak with some of his ex-girlfriends? We have always heard of his reaction. But the provocation we don’t know. But in any case, I don’t justify that behaviour about losing your patience or tolerance and doing something that you regret later. That was his immaturity at that point in time. It happens between husband and wife also, but for the last 15-20 years, you would not have heard any incident like that.
 
IN CONVERSATION WITH SALMA KHAN ABOUT HER SON SALMAN: Salman is a caring child and a good human being. He is hard-working and very respecting of his parents and takes a lot of care of his brothers and sisters. We have seen days when we had nothing and we have seen days when we have everything, and it has not made any difference to all my children. Their father has kept them like that. Even when we had cars, they were sent to school walking to learn it the hard way. They didn’t get things very easily as children. All my kids are very attached to me and we go out for holidays together. With Salman, I am the only person who has beaten him. He is the only child who has got a beating from me as he was very naughty. Even till 10 years back, he would say, ‘Ma, now I am grown up, don’t beat me, I am a big boy now.’ My other children keep telling me that I have a soft corner for Salman and Arpita. I tell them that will remain till both of them get married and are on their own and have someone to look after them.