When Pritish Nandy defended Salman Khan in 2001 over the black buck incident: "Salman is nowhere near that dark, monstrous creature the media makes him out to be"

The year began on a sad note for Bollywood as Pritish Nandy passed away on January 8. He was an all-rounder – he was not just a filmmaker but also a reputed journalist, poet, animal activist and an ex-Rajya Sabha member. He was known for fearlessly voicing his opinion in his columns on various topics like politics, underworld, infrastructure etc. and also, of course, Bollywood. Bollywood Hungama stumbled upon one fiery article that he wrote for Rediff on May 31, 2001, where he defended superstar Salman Khan over the black buck issue. The piece is relevant even today as the episode is once again in the limelight after the shocking assassination of Salman’s close friend and politician, Baba Siddique, allegedly by Lawrence Bishnoi.

 

When Pritish Nandy defended Salman Khan in 2001 over the black buck incident: "Salman is nowhere near that dark, monstrous creature the media makes him out to be"

 

In this column, Pritish Nandy criticized the media's persistent hostility towards Salman Khan, describing it as "sick, perverse, grossly unfair". He emphasized that while he personally disapproved of certain actions attributed to Khan, such as the alleged killing of black bucks, he believed the media's portrayal of Khan as a "dark, monstrous creature". To quote Pritish, “He is nowhere near that dark, monstrous creature the media makes him out to be.”

 

Pritish Nandy further wrote, “It is not the media's job to judge anyone. Their job is to present the facts and allow readers to make up their own mind. In Salman's case, I have noticed that the facts are invariably few and the insinuations far too many. In fact, much of what you read about him in the press is plain bilge. Salman hates the media; the media hates Salman. In this face-off, truth is the first casualty.”

 

The late filmmaker felt that Salman Khan has been hounded by a section of journalists since he debuted with Maine Pyar Kiya (1987), “Salman has faced a hostile media ever since he joined the movies. The first attention-grabber published on him called him a superbrat and he has, in a perfect example of life following journalism, become precisely that over the years.”

 

Today, Salman Khan is facing a tough time due to the threats and the situation was similar way back in 2001. Pritish Nandy stated, “No one enjoys being an ape in an open cage, where passers-by are always making rude remarks. Plus, you have all the anxieties. The extortionists are after you. The cops keep a constant eye on you. The underworld wants you to dance to their tune. What is worse, the Lennon syndrome works against you, where every frustrated crank can become a stalker or an assassin just for that one moment of fame and glory.”

 

He also stated, “It is unfair to keep targeting him as if he is such an important public figure that any fatal flaw in his character can destroy India forever. After all, he is just another person like you and I…It is not journalism. It has nothing to do with freedom of the press. It requires no great courage to attack someone just because he is a soft target and attracts a huge amount of envy for his so-called glamorous lifestyle.”

 

Also Read: A Homage to Pritish Nandy: The visionary who revolutionized Bollywood’s multiplex era

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