My father is Muslim, my mother Hindu and I call myself 'insaan': Salman Khan

The actor speaks at 15th Hindustan Times Leadership Summit

“My dad is a Muslim, my mother is a Hindu and I call myself insaan...a human being,” stated Salman Khan at the 15th Hindustan Times Leadership Summit. 

The 52-year-old superstar - who was in conversation with senior Indian journalist Shekhar Gupta - claimed that he has a had a rather boring but hard-working life, contrary to what the world seems to think.



“I had the most boring life... it was your fraternity (media) that made it interesting," said the Tubelight star. If one had to come and live my life, that person would find it boring and hectic. But my dad is a Muslim, my mother is a Hindu and I call myself insaan... a human being.”

PHOTO: FILE

He continued, “The kind of life I have led is the kind everyone has led. I have been working from the age of 15-and- a-half and for 24 hours a day, seven days a week till Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Biwi No 1 and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. I have worked all my life. The rest you hear is because people are running their own shows… It’s a hard-working life I have led.”

PHOTO:FILE

The actor - who is gearing up for the release of his next offering Tiger Zinda Hai - attributed all the rumours and speculation on his life to those who make profits from it. “Whatever you hear around, (I feel) many people have shops to run. So, had all that journalists have written about me been true… I feel embarrassed," stated Salman. "I live in a one-room apartment. It’s a nice, hard-working man’s life that I have led.”

PHOTO:FILE



When asked about his public image, Salman responded, “For the last 30 years, I have been told that I am misunderstood. How can someone be misunderstood for decades?"

PHOTO:FILE

Nonetheless, the superstar realises that the show must go on. “It’s my living,” Salman said. "For example, when I have a court verdict coming... A day before that, if I have a film promotion, I’m dancing and smiling on stage. Now, that performance is seen by prosecutors and they think that I’m putting up an act when I'm in court too. But when I am in court, I'm genuinely scared. But it’s hard for them to get what we actors do.  We have to smile, go to interviews, romance on-screen even if worried about court cases.”



Watch Salman's full interview here:



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