Bollywood star Salman Khan, who is at Madrid for the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, chose to exercise caution while addressing a gathering and said it was better if he spoke less. He, however, did not extend any apology for his “raped woman” comment that stirred up controversy.
At a press conference to mark the opening of the 17th edition of IIFA, the Kick star took the stage to talk about his association with the four-day gala.
The actor said: “I know it has been a long evening, So I will make it short, quick.” His comment prompted a woman from the audience to yell out a “no”, urging Salman to be on stage for a bit longer. The actor then said: “I have to make it. The shorter I keep (the speech), the better it is.”
Salman courted controversy after he said during a media interaction that he felt like a “raped woman” walking out of a ring while shooting for his role as a wrestler in his upcoming film Sultan . He later said, “I don’t think I should have” and explained that he found it hard to walk.
The National Commission for Women and the Shiv Sena have demanded an apology from Salman for his remark, but the actor has not addressed the issue yet. However, his father and veteran writer Salim Khan came forward and apologised on his behalf.
Salim Khan contended that Salman meant no wrong when he said he felt like a “raped woman”.
The actor is no stranger to controversies, be it the infamous 2002 hit-and-run case or the Blackbuck hunting case.
More recently, Salman stirred a hornet’s nest by opposing the death penalty for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon in 2015. He retracted the tweet later on.
He also faced flak when he was named the goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the Rio Olympics to be held later this year.
The superstar was seen in his best humourous side while talking to his fellow colleagues from the industry here. He was even seen sharing jokes with actors like Shahid Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone.
The actor, who is going to perform at the awards night of the IIFA celebrations, credits Spain for the person he is now.
“This is my second time in Spain. But today whoever I am, whatever my position is because of a Spanish man. He was a father figure to me. He was my school principal. He is no more but we absolutely loved him in school,” said Salman, who arrived in Madrid with his mother Salma Khan.
The four-day gala will conclude with a colourful and exuberant awards ceremony on Sunday.
