By Ramkamal Mukherjee

Ramkamal Mukherjee

What is a phenomenon? If you ask this question to me, without any hesitation, I will tell you that it’s Salman Khan.

After completing several years in journalism, I found this man amazing and that’s not for his driving skill but his unprecedented superstardom which takes me by a storm, always.

In brief, Salman Khan is an addiction, just like drug. He comes with statutory warning. Sallu’s killer looks and superstardom assures huge profit to the producers.

From a struggling superstar to the darling of mass, from the dud of Marigold to the All-time blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Salman , in his 27 years tenure has seen everything.

Now, when he comes today with a new release, his rivals find places to hide. He has no competition; His one look can create a stir that even in me a child like excitement starts building.

Salman Khan at a Mumbai Police event with Shah Rukh, Abhishek and Hrithik. Picture taken during the 1990s

Today Salman is dominating the silver screen with Sultan. Everyone in trade is left clueless to find the lifetime like his all other films? But what’s the reason behind this success?

When I delve into the matter I found that Salman , using his larger than life persona is choosing his role prominently and not repeating his image with regular masala potboiler.

Another reason he is loved unconditionally by the masses is his impeccable style of connecting with them from his early days!

My friend Ovias Khan told me that today morning his housemaid told him that her friend, who’s a cook and once had cooked delicious biriyani for me and my flat mates, is diagnosed with breast cancer and she was in need of money. After a lot of failed efforts, she received a high-value cheque of some lacs from Salman Khan and now her treatment is going on in some hospital in Juhu !

That’s Salman Khan for you, pure heart and who doesn’t love a pure heart!

Today a bulk of needy people got relieved under the NGO of Salman’s Being Human! His company with several tieups involved themselves to the philantrophy. Another side of his nature is helping the newbie’s. I know, many of the newcomers who were initially trapped into difficulties, mentored by our Dabangg star. Sooraj Pancholi in a candid interview told, ‘Salman totally guided me throughout the filming of Hero’.

Insecurity never touched Salman. He can go to any extent to help his friends who are on the same track and competing. When Jaaneman and Don were clashing, instead of his own Jaaneman, he promoted his rival film Don for his friendship with SRK.

Recently, when I read about Salman’s rape comment, I immediately knew that he is misquoted. The person who is being human and helping people for a long period can’t do any wrong but what I believe is the need of censoring his tongue which unnecessarily ignites the greed of attention seeker media!

Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan when they were really, really good friends. Picture taken during the late 1990s

In every sense Salman is different, he is our bhai. His aura, legacy has a different side and that forced famous film pundits to compare him with the great Amitabh Bachchan. His megastardom always prevent his controversy to tarnish his image so if he is guilty or not in ‘hit and Run case’ or ‘deer shooting’ has no relation with his films.

He is proud, he is improving and with the loyalist in backing, he is going on reigning crowns, 100CR, 200CR, 300 CR with lots of entertainment factors and especially there he doesn’t have any competition.

He is Salman Khan, ‘Sabki aan, sabki shaan/Apna Bhaijaan’.