Film industry rallies for Salman, some slam him

Mumbai: The Hindi film industry erupted with outrage and concern as Salman Khan was on Thursday sentenced to five years in jail for killing endangered blackbucks, with many of his colleagues stressing that the successful actor had been punished because he was a star, and just a few pointing out that justice had been delivered.

As the 52-year-old actor’s friends and colleagues reacted with shock over the jail term for the superstar in the 1998 poaching case, director Subhash Ghai said Khan was likely to appeal to a higher court.

“I am extremely shocked,” Ghai, who has worked with Khan in several films, tweeted. The director said he had “full trust in the Indian judiciary which has many other doors” for an “appeal for final justice”.

Friends started tweeting and fans began to gather outside Khan’s house in Galaxy Apartment, Bandra, soon after the verdict was announced.

A police van has been stationed outside his house since the morning.

“I don’t know how to react. I am numb. I hope he stays strong. His fans will always love him,” a young devotee, standing outside the actor’s house, said.

Actor-Parliamentarian Jaya Bachchan said the punishment was harsh, and added that Khan had done “a lot of humanitarian work”.

Actor Alok Nath, Khan’s on-screen father in the 1999 film, was more cautious in his reaction.

“It is the honourable court’s judgement, so we have to take it and respect it as they have studied the case for 20 years,” he said.

Singer-writer Sona Mohapatra, without taking names, was sharply critical of the actor and the fraternity.

“So...Will daddy say sorry on his behalf? What will the suck ups in the industry do? When’s bail? When’s the next block buster release? Dabangg ‘concert’ tour dates? Bigg Boss? Charity drives,” she tweeted.

Actor Arjun Rampal tweeted to say the decision seemed a bit “too harsh.”