EK PAL KE GUSSE SE KITNI LAKH PAL BARBAAD HO JAATE HAI ( MERA PAHELA AUR AAKHRI PANGA SALMAN KE SAATH ) By Ali Peter John

Salman Khan had just taken the first few steps towards stardom and was shooting for a film called Suryavanshi being directed by Rakesh Kumar who was best known for his film made with Amitabh Bachchan. A new girl called Sheeba was the heroine - Ali peter John

In one of the scenes being shot at the Filmalaya studios, Salman had to have his face covered with fake blood. A news photographer from the Indian Express, R.D Rai, couldn’t resist taking photographs of him though as he was the most talked about newcomer because he had made his debut in a film starring Rekha and also because he was the son of Salim Khan, who was the writing partner of Javed Akhtar who were treated like stars and were even paid more than many stars.

The photographer kept clicking and Salman Khan kept covering his face but the photographer who was known for taking the most sensational news photographs under the worst circumstances refused to give up.

The tussle between Salman and the photographer went on for almost two hours till Salman in an angry tone asked him not to take picture of his “blood – splattered” face, but the photographer told him, “aap apna kaam karo , main mera kaam kar ke jaaunga”.

This sentence made Salman very angry and he rushed towards the photographer with his fists clenched and abused him in the most foul manner.

The director, Rakesh Kumar, tried to make peace between them, but the photographer somehow managed to take his pictures.

It was felt that the matter was solved, but neither Salman nor Kumar or anyone in the unit knew the power of an ordinary news photographer.

Rai reported the entire event to all his colleagues from different newspapers and magazines. There was no social media those days.

A meeting of the entire press in Bombay was called and it was unanimously decided to ban Salman Khan and the president of the union of journalists even went to the extent of asking every journalist and specially photographers to avoid giving any kind of coverage to Salman.

The orders were followed so strictly that even if Salman was a part of a group photograph at the launching of a film or at any event, photographers literally forced the PR men (there were no PR women) to tell the producer that they would not take any photograph of which Salman was a part and there were several times when Salman was humiliated by being asked to leave the group of a photograph in the presence of huge crowds and the industry could do nothing about it.

This “accident” led to Salman being out of the press for more than two years till it was time for a very important film like Hum Aapke Hai Koun to be released and the Rajshris needed publicity for the film which was given a bad preview by many and was called “Shaadi ka video”.

The Barjatya brothers, who were very simple people in a glamorous world, talked to the editor of the leading film weekly, Screen and peace was finally declared when Screen decided to have Salman on its cover, not alone but with the heroine of the film, Madhuri Dixit. When Screen lifted the ban on Salman, the press all over the country also followed.

Salman Khan has had many problems with the media, especially ever since the social media came into existence, but his stardom and the goodwill of his father, Salim Khan has always kept him out of deep waters.

However , now after almost thirty years , I met Salman at the birthday party of Subhash Ghai .

He had reached the venue at the Taj Lands End and I waited for him because I wanted to put an end to the unnecessary "panga' and when he was leaving the party , I called out to him and he stopped and came rushing towards me and we embraced and we didn't have to say a word .

We had realised how foolish we both were on that morning and the panga was solved and I hope meet him soon and start a new era of friendship with him . It is possible , Salman . You and me as grown up men can me make it happen