Directors shocked at Salman’s conviction

Mumbai:

Bollywood is in shock. The entire Indian film fraternity is overwhelmed by the news

that Salman Khan has been sentenced to a year’s imprisonment for an eight-year old case.

Salman was sentenced after he allegedly killed two chinkaras, a kind of deer, while shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998. He was one of the accused — with other actors like Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Satish Shah — who participated in the hunting. The others have been acquitted.

“This is ridiculous. There were other actors too, but I don’t understand why Salman alone was targeted. How come the others were acquitted while he alone was sentenced? Was it written on the bullet that killed those blackbuck that Salman had fired the shot?” wonders producer-director Ravi Chopra, who is directing Baabul with Salman, Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherji.

Late last year, fed up of his victimisation and having to attend court hearings constantly, Salman stated in court: “If you want to punish me, do it as soon as possible, because I don’t want to go through this ordeal all the time.”

Another director, Rumi Jaffery of God Tussi Great Ho, is also in shock. “I cannot believe this,” he says, too taken aback to react. He is, however, confident Salman will come out clean and that the higher courts will grant him bail. “In my heart, I know he is innocent. He will bounce back,” says Jaffery.

Ravi Chopra too is confident Salman will walk out clean. “I don’t understand one thing: Why is Salman always made a scapegoat? It is time we left him alone to lead a peaceful life,” concludes Chopra.