Veteran Bollywood filmmaker and screenwriter Salim Khan recently came together with his family to celebrate Ganeshotsav. Over the years, fans have always eagerly waited for snippets from all their festival celebrations, be it Holi, Ganpati, Dusshera, Diwali, Eid, or Christmas. He has always openly spoken up about his secular views. Having bid adieu to their Ganesha idol just a few days ago, the veteran sat down for a chat with Free Press Journal and revealed that he has been celebrating the festival ever since he was a child.
Explaining how he comes from a “broadminded family,” he shared that the tradition dates back to his father’s time. Hailing from Indore, his father was the DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) of the neighbourhood where they had built small houses and “all the tenants were Hindus.” He added, “We lived in complete harmony where we addressed each other’s needs and even exchanged food. Such was our bond—Hindu mussalman ka masla hi nahin tha. Dosti thi, sab insaan the!”
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When asked if his family started keeping Ganpati at their house after his marriage to Salma Khan (Sushila Charak before their wedding), he dismissed this notion. He said, “You see, I have lived all my life amidst Hindus. Even in the police stations and colonies, we celebrated Hindu festivals as everyone from a sipahi to the head constable was a Hindu. So it was not as if we began keeping Ganpati at home only after my marriage. My family had no objection to my marriage either. She had no problem. There was some objection from one of her family members because I was from a different religion.”
The 89-year-old veteran also revealed that his family has never consumed it. Khan said, “From Indore until today, we have never had beef. Beef is eaten by most Muslims as it is the cheapest meat! Some even buy it to feed pet dogs. But in the teachings of prophet Mohammed, he has clearly stated that a cow’s milk is a substitute for mother’s milk and it is a mufid (beneficial) cheez. He has stated that cows should not be killed and beef is forbidden. Prophet Mohammed has adopted good things from every religion. Like eating only halaal meat which was adopted from the Jews, who call it kosher. He has postulated that every religion is good and believes in a Supreme Power like we do.”
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For those who don’t know, Salim Khan first married Salma Khan. They have four kids together – Salman Khan, Arbaaz, Alvira Khan Agnihotri, and Sohail Khan. He then married actress Helen, and they adopted Arpita Khan Sharma, who is a proud mother to two kids with actor Ayush Sharma.