Salman Khan vows to keep speech ‘short’ after rape controversy

By Nivedita

Madrid, June 24 (IANS) After getting embroiled in a controversy over his 'rape' analogy, Salman Khan seems to have adopted a new funda - “to keep it short”. The superstar says it is better if he talks less.

At a press conference to mark the opening of the 17th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) here on Thursday, the “Kick” star took the stage to talk about his experience at the four-day gala till now.

The actor said: “I know it has been a long evening, So I will make it short, quick.”

Prompting a woman from the audience to yell out “no” and urged him to be on stage for a bit longer.

The actor hinted at the ongoing “rape” stir when he said: “I have to make it. The shorter I keep, the better it is."

Salman courted controversy after he said during a media interaction that he felt like a "raped woman" walking out of a ring in his role as a wrestler in his upcoming film "Sultan". He later said, "I don't think I should have" and explained that he found it hard to walk.

Salman, whose journey in filmdom began with "Biwi Ho To Aisi" in 1988, and who came into the limelight following his act as Prem in the endearing love saga "Maine Pyar Kiya" in 1989, is one of the biggest box office draws in the country.

Salman is no stranger to controversies, be it the infamous 2002 hit-and-run case or the Blackbuck hunting case.

More recently, Salman stirred a hornet's nest by opposing the death penalty for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon in 2015. He retracted the tweet later on.

He also faced flak when he was named the goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics to be held later this year.

The superstar was seen in his best humourous side while talking to his fellow colleagues from the industry here. He was even seen sharing jokes with actors like Shahid Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone.

The actor, who is going to perform at the award night of IIFA, credits Spain for the person he is now.

“This is my second time in Spain. But today whoever I am, whatever my position is because of a Spanish man. He was a father figure to me. He was my school principal. He is no more but we absolutely loved him in school," said Salman, who arrived in Madrid with his mother Salma Khan.

The four-day gala will conclude with a colourful and exuberant awards ceremony on Sunday.

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of the IIFA organisers. Nivedita can be contacted at nivedita.s@ians.in)