Bollywood superstar Salman Khan recently found his checkered past catch up with him. On April 5, he was sentenced to five years in jail for hunting two endangered antelopes in Jodhpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan, in 1998. Two days later, he was granted bail.
It has taken nearly 20 years for the court to convict Bollywood’s bad boy in connection with poaching endangered animals, but his sentencing unleashed a drama that would rival a Bollywood potboiler.
On one hand, emotionally turbulent fans gathered outside his residence shouting slogans of support and his posh industry friends rallied behind him stoically. And on the other hand, animal activists called for tougher punishment and debates about ‘justice delayed, but not denied’ were sparked by experts. Panels for television debates on whether influential stars were above the law were also swiftly formed.
Salman, 52, spent two nights in Jodhpur jail before he was granted bail. The movie star, who has acted in more than 100 films and reportedly earned $37 million (Dh136 million) last year, slept on the floor and wasn’t given preferential treatment inside the jail during those 48 hours, but the drama peaked when he walked out of prison with his chest puffed. Fireworks went off near his Bandra apartment and slogans were heard. Digital ‘bhai fans’ (as Salman’s fans are called) made sure that hashtags such as #IStandwithSalman gained traction, while those who have the ability to separate the star from the person supported the conviction.
This isn’t an uncommon occurrence in Salman’s fractured-but-fruitful life. His past has always caught up with him and unleashed torrential trials by law, the media and among his fans.
This wasn’t the first time that one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars has rammed into the Indian law. It is Salman’s second conviction this year. In February, he was found guilty of killing two rare deer, but he managed to duck prison time. This is the fourth case filed against the actor in connection with poaching animals during the filming of the 1998 multi-starrer Hum Saath Saath Hain.
From quashing cases related to possessing unlicensed firearms to getting his name cleared in the 2002 hit-and-run case, in which a homeless man was killed and four others were injured, Salman has always courted controversy. He has dodged multiple prior charges and lived to tell his triumphant tale.
The staunchly single actor, with a robust dating record that features names such as Katrina Kaif, Sangeeta Bijlani and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, is now the poster boy of being that magnetic matinee idol with the proverbial feet of clay. On the big screen, he takes on roles that paint him as cheeky, but one with a heart of gold (think Maine Pyaar Kiya, Dabangg, Tubelight, Sultan) — a sharp contrast to his soot-smeared personal life.
During the media promotions for his Eid blockbuster Sultan in 2016, he had famously compared the gruelling ordeal of preparing for the role of a wrestler to feeling like a raped woman. The flippant comment sparked an uproar in India and an apology was demanded by India’s National Commission For Women. There were also rumblings that the brawny hero — who endorses products such as underwears and fizzy drinks — roughs up his girlfriends. In 2002, his partner Aishwarya Rai had accused him of physical and verbal abuse in an interview with an Indian national daily, a charge that Khan denied.
Emptying a bottle of a fizzy drink on his sweetheart’s head at a restaurant — a cringeworthy charge that he refused to acknowledge — is small matter for this superstar with an active PR team.
But in all fairness, the son of scriptwriter Salim Khan walks to his own beat. His swagger, his arrogance and his tardiness are legendary.
While this is one side, there’s another image of Salman that is also equally celebrated. Salman, the good Samaritan and the world’s ninth highest paid actor according to Forbes, spearheads the charity Being Human, which helps underprivileged children and those in need. Salman is a fine example of how a good brand management team can single-handedly sculpt an image of being a saviour who uses his privilege and position for greater good. His roles in the recent past rarely have grey shades to them and he is invariably the good guy, the superhuman spy or the misunderstood guy in his films. His fans have swallowed the seemingly orchestrated scripts to their last letter.
Salman is also an actor who enjoys immense goodwill among his industry peers. Even Aishwariya’s mother-in-law Jaya Bachchan, an actress and parliamentarian, expressed her sympathy and felt that Salman should have been given relief since millions are riding on the actor and that he has done charitable deeds since.
Those who dare to cross him — such as actor Vivek Oberoi who revealed Salman’s stalker-like behaviour during his affair with Aishwarya — were expunged from the industry and became instant pariahs. Being a part of the revered Khan club comes with great equity too. The emotionally-driven enfant terrible of Bollywood often features his friends in his own productions and is known to be ruthless when it comes to dealing with his detractors.
In a parallel universe, his conviction and his provocative behaviour may translate into his popularity being eroded. But if you are Salman and you orbit the insulated planet called Bollywood, then you are likely to just get more famous. The hero, who is known for his blockbusters during Eid and is currently working on Race 3, that was partly filmed in Abu Dhabi, is unlikely to let the buck stop at his feet even if he is charged with gunning down endangered black bucks. Salman, whose fame has reached dizzying heights, is far from extinction.
