‘PRINCE' SALIM KHAN KO MUMBAI MEI CHOTE CHOTE GHAR MILE AUR PHIR GALAXY APARTMENTS MEI EK FLAT MILA AUR AB WOH 71 SAALON SE YEHI TIKE HUE HAI AUR UNHE KAHI AUR JAANE KA IRADA BHI NAHI HAI... BY ALI PETER JOHN

Some 52 years ago, a dashing and handsome young man from Indore took a desicion to move to Bombay to chase a career in acting. His family and friends were not in favor of his choosing a career as an actor and said that he would give up his madness one day and would ask his parents for money to support him in his struggle or that he would give up his dream to be an actor and would come back to Indore where a luxurious life was always waiting for him - Ali Peter John

When Salim Khan came to know what his people were saying about him, he gave them in writing that he would neither ask for money and nor would give up and come back.

Salim Khan took a train and reached the Bombay Central Station, but he did not know what to so next. He had his dinner in the platform canteen and was about to spread out his mat and go to sleep, but another man kept him awake and asked him if he had come to Bombay to make it as an actor.

He told Salim Khan all kinds of scary stories about hopeful actors who came to Bombay from all over and failed and how some of them went back and how many committed suicide. But Salim Khan was a young Pathan and didn't let any of the stories affect him.

The next morning he had his morning tea at a dhaba and realised that he had to find a place to stay.

He slept outside the gates of buildings and restaurants for 2 nights till some well wisher told him about a guest house in Bandra called the Marina Guest House which had given shelters to any number of young actors because of the kindness of the owner, Mrs Ruki Mirchandani, who had a soft corner for strugglers. Salim Khan got admission mainly because of his good looks.

He was to pay 55 for a bed every night and he was happy and knew that things would only get worse for him if he had to continue living in a city like Bombay.

He found some work as an actor, but he was surprised when any good work didn't come to him. He kept walking from studio to studio and office to office till he found a job as an assistant in the writing department of Sippy Films, who were making big films and planning films like “Seeta Aur Geeta" and “Sholay".

He found a friend in Javed Akhtar and they formed a team of writers and were known as Salim- Javed.

But, Salim Khan was still worried about his housing problem. He found an opportunity to turn a garage into a cottage and that is when he thought of establishing himself as a family man.

He got married to a Maharastrian girl who he got named as Salma and they had three sons Salman, Arbaz and Sohail and one daughter Alvira. They even adopted a girl who they named Arpita. But Salim Khan's search for a better house continued.

“Zanjeer" turned out to be the first and the biggest hit of Salim- Javed. Salim had made so much money out of the success of “Zanjeer", when he saw a flat in Galaxy Apartments and his soul was thrilled and satisfied. Because it was just the kind of house he wanted for himself and his family.

It is 52 years now, his sons Salman, Arbaz and Sohail and his daughters Alvira and Arpita all lives in that one apartment and go out to their farm in Panvel once in a way.

Some days ago, someone asked Salman where he goes for his vacations or for a break, without batting and eyelid, Salman said,“Galaxy se Galaxy ya Galaxy se Panvel (where the Khans have their farm house).

And if there is one man who is really very happy with life, it is that man who came from Indore to be an actor and who is now the head of a family which is a living institution today.

Galaxy, the apartment which very few had a second look at is now like a pilgrimage center and the god of this center is without any discussion the dabanng hero with a heart and if anyone can control or tame is this dabanng hero, it is only that man from Indore who the world knows as Salim Khan and who calls himself,“the dabanng hero ka baap".

AISA BHI HOTA HAI, ISILIYE DUNIYA AISE HAI.