While Salman Khan is widely recognized for his generous and kind-hearted nature, he is also often perceived as having a short temper. In a recently resurfaced interview from March 1997 with Cine Blitz magazine, his father, renowned screenwriter Salim Khan, addressed this perception and defended his son's anger as a constructive emotion.
The interviewer asked Salim Khan, “Why does it always appear that Salman is about to blow a fuse? Why is he so short-tempered?” Salim responded, “Salman is not short-tempered; he only has a lot of anger in him. There is nothing wrong with anger. In fact, the fault with this generation is that there is no anger in them.” He elaborated that anger, when channeled properly, can be a powerful force for good. “If they see someone doing something wrong, they like to turn a blind eye. Thankfully, Salman is not like that. If he sees a woman being eve-teased, he will not look away; instead, he will go and bash up the guys. I think anger is one of the finest emotions if channelised properly,” he added.
Comparison with Global Icons
Drawing parallels with historical figures, Salim Khan remarked, “Salman has tremendous anger against injustice, poverty, cruelty! Did not Mahatma Gandhi have anger against the British Raj or injustice? And what about Martin Luther King Jr., didn’t he have anger in him!” This comparison framed anger not as a flaw but as a catalyst for social change.
Addressing Violence Concerns
The interviewer countered, “Anger might sound very eloquent, but Salman’s anger, it is believed, is violent.” Salim Khan responded, “If you try to reasonably explain something to someone and he does not understand, you are bound to get violent. Even the police use violence for confession. The Press only writes about the time he has poured a drink over Somy’s head in anger or when he has fought with a few guys.” He stressed that Salman’s positive actions often go unnoticed. “They will not write about the time he saved accident victims. He is doing it all the time, without fearing a police case. Salman is very sensitive to people’s suffering.”
Support for Newcomers
Salim Khan also highlighted his son’s support for aspiring talent in the film industry. “Every newcomer tries to work with established directors, but no one must have worked with as many newcomers as Salman has.” He provided examples: “Shekhar Kapur’s assistant must have been good to Salman when he went looking for work. Salman remembered that and recommended him for a film, and then worked with him. He also helped Majrooh, Rajkumar Santoshi’s assistant, and worked with Mukul Anand’s assistant. Why just the directors, when his co-stars insisted on a Madhuri Dixit or a Sridevi, Salman worked with Chandni and Sheeba,” he concluded.
The screenshot from the interview has resurfaced on Reddit and is now going viral, sparking discussions about Salman Khan’s personality and his father’s defense of his temperament.
