'Daddy dearest' Salim Khan stood up and spoke on behalf of his star son Salman Khan for his 'raped woman' comment. Here are six instances when Salim Khan took up arms for the Bollywood actor
Superstar Salman Khan is controversy's favourite child in Bollywood and as such landed himself in soup repeatedly. The latest instance of the 50-year-old star courting controversy happened over the weekend when he compared himself to a 'raped woman'. As soon as the outrage over the comment started escalating, 'Daddy dearest' Salim Khan stood up and speaking on behalf of his son asked for forgiveness.
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Salim Khan and Salman Khan
This isn't the first time that 'Papa' Salim has taken it in his hands to rectify a mistake committed by his son or defend his boy.
Here are six instances when Salim Khan took up arms for Salman Khan
Salim apologises for son's 'raped woman' comment
Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan said that his son meant no wrong when he said he felt like a 'raped woman' during the shooting of 'Sultan' but apologised on his behalf after the latter was condemned on social media. "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simile, example and the context. The intention was not wrong," Salim Khan tweeted on Tuesday. "Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family, his fans and his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all," added the 80-year-old veteran. The screenwriter also said that on International Yoga Day, "let's not run our shops on this mistake". (Read more)
Salim takes a dig at Milkha Singh to defend Salman
Salman's appointment as goodwill ambassador of the Indian Olympic contingent saw legendary sprinter Milkha Singh speak up against it. The 'Flying Sikh' demanded that the unprecedented appointment be "revised" and a sportsperson be appointed. Salim Khan took to Twitter to defend his son and 'take down' the 'Flying Sikh'. "Salman Khan may not have competed but is an A level swimmer cyclist and weight lifter (sic)... Sportsmen are performing because of sports lovers like us," the Bollywood veteran wrote on the micro blogging site. Salim Khan also suggested that Milkha Singh not target the film industry since it was thanks to Bollywood that he was back in the public eye after his life was turned into a blockbuster film "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag". (Read more)
Salman heeds daddy's words over Yakub Memon comments
The Bollywood superstar Salman Khan apologised for tweeting earlier that the 1993 Mumbai blasts accused Yakub Memon should not hang but his brother Tiger Memon should. While saying that he stood by what he had said, Salman said his father wanted him to retract his tweets "as they have the potential to create misunderstanding". The veteran scriptwriter had earlier lashed out at his son for tweeting in what was construed as support of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon. Salim said that whatever Salman wrote was ridiculous and meaningless, adding that his son was ignorant of the issue and, therefore, people should not take him seriously. (Read more)
Check out Video: Salman shouldn't be taken seriously for his 'ridiculous' comment on Yakub Memon, says father Salim Khan
Prosecuted for being a celeb in 2002 hit-and-run case?
Last year the High Court acquitted Salman in the infamous 2002 hit-and-run case. But even before that Salim had defended his son, saying that the case wasn't a hit-and-run one since his son hadn't gone missing after the accident. He had spoken about his son's philanthropy and said that Salman was being persecuted because he was a celbrity. Even in 2013, he had said that his son was innocent and that he was being treated differently than any other citizen of the country and being prosecuted for being a celebrity. He claimed that Salman had been charged under harsher sections than the ones used for the people wanted for the Bhopal gas tragedy.
Salim defends Salman's bonhomie with Narendra Modi
When some groups and organizations started demanding a boycott of Salman Khan's movie 'Jai Ho' in 2014 after the superstar was seen flying a kite with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Salim backed his son once again. Salman's father told a leading newspaper, "If some organisations were actually influencing audiences against the film because of Salman's visit to Gujarat, then I'd like to tell these organizations that no solution to the world's violence has emerged out of hatred. So please stop talking the language of animosity." He even defended the PM, saying, "Once someone asked Prophet Mohammed what was the greatest form of worship. And He answered, love. Then the same persson asked the Prophet what the greatest charity was. The Prophet said, forgiveness. This whole refrain that Narendra Modi did not ask for forgiveness (for the 2002 Gujarat communal riots) is so futile. Maaf karna padta hai maafi maangi nahin jaati. Jo kuch ho gaya so ho gaya. Ab aage badho(Forgiveness is granted, and not on demand. What happened has happened. Let's move on). No sensible or sensitive human being would justify what happened in Gujarat (during the riots). But how long can we cling to the past?"
Truth about Black buck case?
The 1998 blackbuck poaching case saw Salman Khan again on the wrong side of the law along with Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Sonali Bendre. There were then some media reports floating around that suggested that Salman had taken responsibility to protect someone else. Salim Khan, in an interview to a leading magazine, had said, "What difference will it make that what has remained hidden for so long should be brought out now? The damage has been done as far as Salman is concerned. Salman never imagined that it would turn out like this. And if we now bring out the truth, people will say we are desperate and just trying to defend ourselves. I say, if Salman is guilty, let him be punished. But facts have been hidden. Only the people who were with him that night know the truth."