Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) Former actress Somy Ali expressed deep concern after learning that veteran screenwriter Salim Khan has been hospitalised, saying the news made her “heart sink.”
Somy took to Instagram, where she shared a picture featuring Salim Khan along with his wives Salma Khan and Helen. In an emotional note, Somy described Salim not just as a legendary writer but as a father figure in her life.
“Hearing that Salim Khan has been hospitalized made my heart sink. To the world, he is a legendary writer who helped shape icons like Amitabh Bachchan and co-created masterpieces like Sholay. To me, he was a father figure,” she wrote as the caption.
She recalled living in his home and being treated like a daughter, included in family conversations and discussions that often revolved around faith and philosophy.
“Living in his home, I was treated like a daughter, included at the table, engaged in deep conversations about faith, where all religions were respected and celebrated.”
Somy shared that Salim Khan’s views on spirituality left a lasting impact on her.
“He taught me that God is bigger than doctrine, and that storytelling must always carry truth beneath the drama.”
Heaping praise on both his professional brilliance and personal integrity, she said: “His brilliance built cinematic history. His humanity built people. Praying for his strength and recovery. He means more to me than words can say.”
Salim Khan was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on February 17. His elder son, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, and his daughters, Alvira Khan Agnihotri and Arpita Khan, along with her actor husband Aayush Sharma, were seen at the hospital.
Salman left the shooting in Madh Island and went to meet his father. Reportedly, Salim Khan has complained of swelling. Salim Khan celebrated his 90th birthday in November last year, which coincided with the demise of Dharmendra.
Salim Khan moved to Mumbai in the 1950s and initially worked as a film extra and supporting actor in Hindi cinema. His acting career was limited, but it led him to scriptwriting. In the late 1960s, Salim Khan partnered with Javed Akhtar to form Salim–Javed, one of the most influential screenwriting teams in Indian cinema.
Between 1971 and 1982, they wrote a series of commercially successful and culturally influential films, including ‘Andaz’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Deewaar’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Trishul’, ‘Don’, and ‘Kaala Patthar’. Their work helped establish the template of the Hindi commercial film driven by strong narratives, dialogue, and a central male protagonist.
–IANS
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