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Join UsHere’s comes again our reader Gajendra Yadav’s yet another opinion column; this time on superstar Salman Khan. The reader explains what Salman Khan films mean to the ‘Aam Aadmi’. Read it:
Following Aam Aadmi Party’s win in Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal said that he dedicates this win to the Aam Aadmi. The Common Man. Now, apart from sports and politics, what interests the common man is cinema. Films in India, are passion. However it is, everyone loves Bollywood. A lot of names strike the cortex of mind when the term Bollywood is used and one of them, is of superstar Salman Khan. Salman Khan or ‘Bhai’ as he is fondly called has been in the industry for over two decades now and his charm hasn’t withered off.
Yet, the question remains. What makes Bhai and his films so special? Why is he loved by children and adults alike? Why do his films get massive openings? Why, for his films, box office records are just reasons to create new milestones? Well, all these questions have a common answer. A Salman Khan film is not just any film. It is a celebration. A celebration of love, action, comedy, entertainment and also, cinema.
Bhai has faced many criticisms with critics pointing out how he repeats himself in every film of his and does not offer anything new. Alright, let’s face it, the common man already has too many problems in his life. Problems, of which he is aware of. Critics say films should be a medium of addressing and awakening the people about the ills of the society. I say no! The aam aadmi is already aware of the problems that concern him and the nation as a whole. He doesn’t need hard hitting preachy films that offer wild solutions which otherwise, can’t be put to effect in real life. And if someone, or to be specific, Salman Khan makes him laugh, gets him entertained, makes him forget some of his problems for two odd hours then what’s the problem?
His films, albeit might look nonsensical and story-less to the film critics, to the common man they are stress busters. For example, his 2012 blockbuster film ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ was a massy entertainer which also addressed the important issue of India-Pakistan relations and its films like these, according to me that define the power of cinema. Conveying a message without being too preachy and being thoroughly entertaining at the same time. Also, this is where films like ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘PK’ stand out. However, it would be hard to even imagine our very own Bhai in these two films, let alone appearing in them.
Bollywood is a crazy industry where everyone has their own brand of cinema. If Salman Khan’s brand of cinema is action-packed films with a dash of romance, comedy and sometimes, social message then let it be. Don’t tell him to change the type of films he does as long as the audiences get entertained. I mean, come on. People wait months for his films and rightly so. Salman’s name is a brand in itself which has stood the tests of time and evolved, year after year, month after month, day after day. After all, sabki aan sabki shaan sabka ek.. Bhaijaan.
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