The human side of Salman Khan

Bollywood’s reigning superstar Salman Khan, who was pronounced guilty in an over 12-year-old hit-and-run case, is known for taking up humanitarian causes. 

Troubled by the 2002 case, the actor slowly and gradually took to charity. 

During this period (from 2002), Salman, son of noted script writer Salim Khan, turned to philanthropy by forming ‘Being Human’, a Non-Governmental Organisation. 

The NGO, supported by Salman Khan Foundation, has adopted villages in Maharashtra and outside the state. 

Soon after the mishap on September 28, 2002, in which one person died and four injured, Salman was arrested and put behind the bars for a few days. 

While in Bandra Police Station lock up, the actor refused to have home food and returned the tiffin brought by his family. Instead, he had jail food which was served to all the inmates, police sources said. 

The “cutting chai” served to him in jail became his ‘pass time’ as the actor refused to have home made tea, the sources said. 

The actor had shared the space in the lock up with petty criminals. However, after few days he was granted bail in the case. 

In 2002, the Bombay High Court, acting on a PIL, had directed the actor to pay interim compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 3 lakh to those injured seriously and Rs 1.5 lakh to others. Salman deposited the money with the court. 

During the last decade while his trial in the case was on, Salman’s Bollywood career saw several highs and lows not to mention his personal life which has always been under media glare. 

After delivering big Bollywood hits for three years (after 2002) in a row —‘Tere Naam’ (2003), ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’ (2004) and ‘No Entry’ (2005)– his career nosedived with mediocre films like ‘Jaan-E Mann’, ‘Saalam-E-Ishq’, ‘Marigold’ and ‘Baabul’ besides a string of flops. Only ‘Partner’ in 2007 (where he teamed with Govinda) was the saving grace for him during this low period.