(S.R.Seshu)
Blackbucks to blockbusters, actor Salman Khan has his own style! The goodwill ambassador of the Rio Olympics and the siamese twin of controversy, Salman hasn’t learnt much despite having gotten his knuckles rapped many a time.
In a recent interview given to an entertainment website on his movie Sultan, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and to be released on Eid, July 6, 2016, the 50-year-old muscular actor made a curt but cruel remark only to be solidly rapped by netizens and the National Commission for Women. He compared himself to a ‘raped woman’ to describe the gruelling physical hardships (as a wrestler) he had to cope with to meet the demands of the script.
The reporter’s question and Salman’s answer are as follows:
Q:The shoot must have been gruelling…
A:While shooting, during those six hours, there’d be so much of lifting and thrusting on the ground involved. That was tough for me because if I was lifting, I’d have to lift the same 120-kilo guy 10 times for 10 different angles. And likewise, get thrown that many times on the ground. This act is not repeated that many times in the real fights in the ring. When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldn’t walk straight. I would eat and then, head right back to training. That couldn’t stop.
Salman’s remarks attracted widespread anger among the netizens. Twitteratti demanded his apology and English news channels played it up with fierce comments and analysis. The NCW, meanwhile, demanded an apology from the actor within seven days. NCW Chief, Lalitha Akumaramangalam said: “We have sent a letter to Salman Khan, if we are not satisfied by his reply we will summon him.”
While Rahul Kanwal, Managing Editor of India Today and Aaztak, suggested that Salman should keep his mouth zipped as each time he opens it he puts his foot into it, some others dubbed the controversy as a ‘publicity stunt’ for Sultan!
