I Am A Citizen Of The WORLD

He is best recognised and preferred shirtless. Probably with shirt on, people will walk past him. (Just joking. He can never be ignored with or without shirt.) With boyish good looks and a body to-die-for, Salman Khan has always seen an increase in female fan following. This is not to say Sallu Miyan lacks male fans. That would make another story altogether.

It is hard to believe the Salman of yore had acted in Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988). That was his first film and he was an almost scrawny lad. With long hair, he effortlessly walked into every teenager’s heart. But he did realise a well-toned body is the first requirement of show business.

What he did to himself later is the stuff body-buildng is made up of. With his 6-packs and what not, he has female fans swooning over him (me included). I remember the time when he had made those music video albums like Honey Honey. I had envied those girls, who had the opportunity to be next to him. My wish remained a wish to be in the same frame as him.

Never mind. I am quite happy seeing those videos and being content that he is there within my remote’s reach anytime anywhere. Since then Salman has done wonders for himself. A major factor in his success story is his body. A dedicated body-builder, he is a modern day Adonis. And this body has a philanthropic soul that adds charm to him.

I personally feel his best was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). My eyes (as of the entire nation) were reserved only for him. He took our breath away with his flawless performance and gorgeous looks. No doubt, then he made a great screen pair with Aishwarya Rai. Thank God, he saw her true colours soon. She didn’t deserve him. He is better off without her. She was mere trouble for him. She had her fun but put him to pain.

His golden phase had started with him giving consecutive hits. Salman never looked back. His images of a biker boy, a lover boy or the usual Bollywood hero were enough to guide the crowd to the theatres. Everyone knew his movies were a treat. They were never disappointed on this score.

In countless movies he has been shown as a biker boy. That set the sales graph of bikes on a Northward trail. In north India, there were reports of an increase in sales of bikes with each release of Salman’s movies. Of course, sale of shirts remained static as he never flaunted them. And he set the country’s youth on a gym trail. Suddenly everyone wanted to be fit and muscle-packed like Salman Khan.

In 2004, he was voted the 7th best looking man in the world and the best looking man in India. He has helped many poor with his charities. Considered the bad boy of Bollywood, he has steered himself to the path of philanthropic reformation. His occasional help to the needy makes big media news.

Considered the most eligible bachelor in India and abroad, he has been dating Katrina Kaif since 2003. It’s high time he got married and settled down. Although it will break many a females’ hearts, they will still wish him well. He deserves all the happiness of this world and more.

I am looking forward to his wedding as and when it takes place. I wonder when the day will arrive. I hope sometime sooner. There is no envy or jealousy or hatred for his belle except that he should always be happy. I am sure this will be seconded by his innumerable fans, who wish him this and more.

With marriage his wild ways will totally come to an end (touch wood). Remember his negligent driving case (2002) or Chinkara case (2006) and his frequent temper show. The bad boy has now turned sober. What he was and what he is now is a study in contrast. The newer self is a welcome one. He has tuned into a golden guy with a golden heart.

It is said when he was lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail in 2007, his fans from remote corners of India were camping there and were offering daily prayers at Ajmer Dargah. For them, he had done no wrong. They wanted their hero out and walking free. God didn’t take long to grant then their wish.

The jubilation then was the eighth wonder of this world. Crackers, prayers, tears, sweets et al were freely flowing. Probably nothing like this mania has been seen since Rajesh Khanna’s days when girls used to write letters in their blood.

No one is perfect. Our hero too has his own frailties. In his case, it works out even better. We love him more despite them. And he doesn’t hide them. That’s a big plus in his favour. Being a fan, I see no minuses in him. That can be considered a partiality but then I am a fan. And he will always top my list. I can’t state something different from what I feel.

When Ghajini was being promoted, Salman was asked to join in. He was candid enough to say that he couldn’t make his own movie Yuvraaj a hit, what can he do for Ghajini? My all the brownie points went to him. My regard for him increased ten-fold.

His love for cars is legendary. He has cut down on smoking and drinking. And absolutely no drugs. His message is clear – eat healthy, exercise and be fit. Sylvestor Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger pale in comparison before our own desi pehelwan.

With a wax replica of himself placed in Madame Tussauds museum, now one gets a chance to see (if not the real self) him in (what else!) wax. Sallu Miyan has also dabbled in painting and singing. Hope he doesn’t make a full time career out of these vocations. We don’t want to lose our hero.

He is the ultimate. There was never anyone like him. There will never be anyone like him. And his best is yet to come.