Bollywood actor Salman Khan on Tuesday came in for a stinging criticism from various quarters for his “insensitive”, “irresponsible” and “callous” comment that he felt like a “raped woman” after a gruelling shoot of a wrestling bout for his forthcoming film “Sultan”.
While women activists staged protests outside his Bandra residence in north Mumbai, activists and twitteraties condemned his “insensitive” remark and demanded an apology from him.
Taking suo motu cognizance of Salman “irresponsible and callous” remark, the National Commission for Women (NCW) shot off a letter to the actor seeking his explanation in seven days and also warning him that he would be summoned before the commission if failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.
In an audio recording of the interview that he gave to a Bollywood website as part of the promotion of “Sultan”, he said the shooting of wrestling bouts was so gruelling that he felt like a “raped woman” while he would walk out of the ring after the shoot.
“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,” the actor said in the interview.
However, moments later, the actor appeared to regret his statement. “I don’t think I should have...,” he said.
Known for unending controversies, Salman was cornered on social media and other forums, as the NCW threatened to summon him if he failed provide an explanation for his remark in seven days and women activists singled him out for his “inhuman” rape analogy.
like always in the past, Salman’s scriptwriter Salim Khan was quick to come to his son’s defence and apologise for the actor’s remark.
“Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family, his fans & friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all. To err is human, to forgive divine. Today on Int’l Yoga Day, let’s not run our shops on this mistake,” Salim Khan said in a series of tweets put out during the day.
However, excepting an expression of a mild regret that had come from him soon after he made the “insensitive” remark during an interview given to a Bollywood website, the actor had not apologised for his remark till the evening.
Not unexpectedly, Salman was at the receiving end of a fierce attack from women activists and twitteraties who minced no words in castigating the actor for his “insensitive” and “inhuman” remarks.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the actor’s “insensitive” remark, the NCW shot off a letter to him asking for his explanation in seven days and warning him that in the event of his failing to provide a satisfactory explanation, he would be summoned before the commission.
Talking to mediapersons, NCW Chief lalitha Kumaramangalam described the actor’s remark as “irresponsible”, “callous” and it showed and showed the actor’s “regressive mindset”.
“The commission has taken suo moto cognisance. We have sent him a letter asking for explanation in seven days. We have said that he should give a public apology,” NCW Chief said.
“It’s not only a wrong statement, it’s very irresponsible and callous for a man whose fame and wealth is based on the adoration of his female fans...He has extrapolated patriarchal mindset...”I think this is not the first time that he has made statements that the public gets angry about,” Kumaramangalam said.
The NCW chief said if the actor failed to give a satisfactory response, he would have to appear before the commission.
“We have also said that if we are not satisfied with his explanation we will summon him before the commission. It is extremely, reprehensible, very condemnable it seems to be very regressive mindset. It’s like a joke he has made and rape is not a joke. He should not have said it,” Kumaramangalam said.
Interacting with mediapersons in Mumbai, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC said, “Salman Khan should apologise. It might be a slip of tongue. There is no rationale to it....Whatever the logic, Salman should apologise for the statement. The actor’s analogy is wrong... This isn’t about Salman’s fan following but about a self-respecting man respecting women”
Salman was ridiculed on the social media for his comment. One of the twitteraties wrote, “Kindly remove humanitarian from your bio @BeingSalmanKhan. There cannot be anything more inhuman than using raped woman analogy. SHAME”
“@BeingSalmanKhan don’t know if you know this but rape is not what they show in Hindi films. You owe an apology to for your comment. #salman,” another person wrote on the social media.
“I know Salman Khan has fans. But if his female fans are ok with his ‘I felt like a raped woman’ then I’ve just lost faith in the world,” a woman twitter user wrote.
Another twitter comment went thus, “Salman Khan should keep his mouth zipped. Each time he opens it he puts his foot into it. Pathetic rape analogy”.
Meanwhile, coming to the defence of Salman, filmmaker Subhash Ghai said that the actor’s remark had been “misrepresented” and that “he (Salman) is just a child and I know he respects women like anything.”
“It is very disgusting translation by someone. He just said one thing that it is a human agony he went through. The deepest human agony is when a woman is raped. He was talking about a metaphor....He is just a child and I know he respects women like anything,” Ghai said.