Being Salman

India’s leading superstar is also the smartest one around

There isn’t anyone I know who doesn’t envy Salman Khan. His flop films cash in Rs 100 crore, the hit ones are at least twice that magic number. He’s achingly handsome, in a Hemingway hero sort of way, where his heartbreak is concealed by a swagger that in turn makes him a ladykiller. At almost 50, he’s at the top of his game. When Amitabh Bachchan was 50 he was struggling with ridiculous “ajooba” films as comeback vehicles.

There isn’t anyone I know who doesn’t adore Salman Khan. Stories of his generous nature and philanthropy are legendary. He is everyone’s go-to guy in Bollywood. He mends friendships (Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan), revives flagging careers (Govinda, David Dhawan), mentors young stars (Katrina Kaif, Arjun Kapoor). His bodyguards hero worship him. His dogs are said to have fan sites. He cycles to his sets instead of taking air-conditioned carbon-spitting SUVs. And yes, donates oodles of cash to anyone who asks. Oh, such humility is only seen in absolute greatness.

My favourite is his Being Human project. What started as a small charitable NGO to aid medical relief is now an enviable apparel retail behemoth. The high quality clothing range even won the Apparel Retailer of the Year trophy at the Indian Retail Awards this year. The Being Human website has a quote from him saying he is an actor only to give back to society: “I’ll do films idhar udhar but charity will be my priority,” he states.

But this was not always the case. Khan was controversy’s favourite child. News of his unprofessionalism abounded, as did gossip about his multiple affairs. The Koffee With Karan “virgin” jibe is so tongue-in-cheek.

In 2002, Khan was arrested for rash and negligent driving that caused the death of one pavement dweller. He is charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. In the same year, his former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai accused him of harassment and violence, and her parents had to file a police complaint. In 1998 and 2006 again, he was remanded to a Jodhpur jail in a black buck hunting case. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court issued him a notice after the Rajasthan government challenged the stay on his conviction.

But there isn’t a spin doctor around better than Salman Khan. He’s cleaned his image using every tool in the kit, right from projecting himself as the nicest guy on the block to turning to doctors to keep his youthful appearance. From being an industry untouchable, he’s turned into a real-life hero.

But his recent spat with news photographers reminds one of Khan’s bad-lad days again. From using the media to realign his image for crores of his fans, Khan wants to censure the same hands that aided him. Khan knows a ban from the photographers’ union won’t affect his releases. This is the time of paid news, after all. His producers will pay to have giant smiling pictures of him everywhere they can. As they have on the front pages of a leading newspaper’s promotional feature supplement almost every day since the embargo last week. He has the upcoming Kick to sell. And he’s signed on Karan Johar’s much-awaited production Shuddhi.

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Such is the power of a superstar. Money can buy you glory and fame can sell itself. The rest just fall by the wayside. In that, Salman Khan is no short of genius.
namratanow@gmail.com

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