Amidst the uproar over Salman Khan's "raped woman" comment, actress Pooja Bedi has come out in his support as she thinks there was nothing wrong in what the actor said.
The actress took to twitter to extend her support.
Is @BeingSalmanKhan controversy justified? If I say I fee FAT as an elephant will @PetaIndia file a case? is India getting OVERSENSITIVE?
— Pooja Bedi (@poojabeditweets) June 21, 2016
As educated & sensible people we need 2 calmly see how much of this "protest" against @BeingSalmanKhan is for political gain&Media TRP!
— Pooja Bedi (@poojabeditweets) June 21, 2016
If @BeingSalmanKhan's intention was 2 use the term rape to describe something that shatters someone physically and emotionally, is it wrong?
— Pooja Bedi (@poojabeditweets) June 21, 2016
Pooja Bedi was not the only one to come out in the actor's support. Film director Subhash Ghai also believed that this was a case of "miscommunication" and Salman only spoke about "human agony".
He said, "It is an insensitive and disgusting translation by someone. He only spoke about human agony he went through, the deepest human agony is when a woman is raped, it was a metaphor."
However, film director Anurag Kashyap criticised the actor, saying it was "thoughtless and daft" of him to make such a comparison.
He said, "Why are we making it out his individual responsibility? It is very unfortunate that he made an analogy like that, it is very thoughtless of him, in a way daft of him. I am sure he will be regretting it and will apologise for it. If he really cares, he should apologise for it."
He added, "But does the responsibility lie alone with him? The guy who is interviewing him... When the man gives an analogy like this, he laughs at it. He does not question him. In his mind, he is thinking I have got a headline. How irresponsible it is to make that into a headline. It does not send a great signal, it empowers misogyny. Suddenly, people have got an issue to jump on."
Singer sona Mahapatra also lashed out at the actor for his insensitive remark.
Women thrashed,people run over,wild life massacred & yet #hero of the nation.'Unfair'.India full of such supporters pic.twitter.com/qrNkBZCWT1
— #SonaLIVE (@sonamohapatra) June 21, 2016
Actress Lisa Ray and celebrity hairstylist, Sapan Bhavnani also took to twitter to express their anger over Salman Khan's "raped woman" comment.
Just got wind of Salman's inappropriate and insensitive remark in my current time zone. Unacceptable. Draw the line. https://t.co/a1bo3sY5cF
— Lisa Ray (@Lisaraniray) June 22, 2016
I really salute all, especially women who have the courage to speak up against Salman irrespective of the rape threats n the cuss words! #go
— Sapna Moti Bhavnani (@sapnabhavnani) June 22, 2016
While Salman Khan's father Salim Khan tendered an apology on his behalf, the actor's brother Arbaaz Khan said the intention (Salman's) was not wrong.
To err is human to forgive divine. Today on Intl yoga day lets not run our shops on this mistake.
— Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016
Nevertheless I apologise on behalf of his family his fans & his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all
— Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016
NDTV quoted Arbaaz Khan as saying, "There are some things which we say while talking but we should look at the intention - why was it said? I definitely have no doubt that whatever Salman said, the intention was not wrong. It was just the kind of (statement) where we compare things - 'I worked like a donkey' so now people will say you used the word donkey so some animal activist will come after you."
Salman Khan courted controversy on 21 June when he said that the physically-strenuous shooting for his upcoming wrestling drama, Sultan, made him feel "like a raped woman".
"Either I am picking (him) up and throwing (him) or he is picking me up and throwing (me). It is the most difficult thing and when I used to walk out of that ring, I used to actually feel like a raped woman. I should not have used that," he said.
The insensitive statement drew flak from activists and social media users, with many demanding an apology from the actor.