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29 March 2024

Salman Khan's humble beginnings... turns businessman

Published
By Lipika Varma/ Sanskriti Media and Entertainment

Salman Khan’s Being Human Clothing Store may have been launched in India after having taken off in Belgium, Dubai and other places. But Salman is very happy about shaking hands with Mandhana Industries.

“I keep discarding stuff if I don’t find it up to the mark. I have to keep reminding him (Mandhana) that the brand is with me and he has to be a human to have the franchise… he need not fly high in the skies only because he is associated with me. He has to work hard and make excellent quality stuff,” says Salman light-heartedly.

Salman gives credit to Somy Ali for helping with the title of the brand. “I remember that I was with Somy Ali during my initial Bollywood stint. She came wearing a T-shirt on which was written ‘Human Being’. When I looked at it from the right angle I read it as “Human Being”. But, no sooner did I turn towards the left and visualized what was inscribe on her shirt, I saw ‘Being Human’. There, in one night, ‘Being Human’ was born.”

He says there’s a big no-no for any donations for marriage purposes. “Yes! I remember my parents had got married spending only Rs 80. Our ‘Being Human’ is going to extend all donations to people who really deserve for medical aide and education. I will like to extend help through Being Human to the children of watchmen and people working in Grade 4 services. They are the ones who really need to educate their children. At times we were conned by few people hence we have tried to extend our help to the needy. We have engaged doctors who will assess the real needs of those who come to us.”

He adds that once a key maker approached him. “He wanted medical aid for his kid. We did give him just Rs 50,000. But his child died before this money could help him survive. Guess what? This guy returned the money. My dad gave him the same money to help him get his machines and earn his daily bread. Surprisingly, soon as he earned Rs 50,000 he came and gave it back to us. So I say there are good people still in our country.”

Reminiscing his childhood days Salman says, “We were not very affluent financially. I remember we would buy just one pair of jeans from chor bazaar and it would be shared between me and Arbaaz. Sohail was the pampered one and he would buy new clothes. When the jeans would tear, we started wearing it the same way, not knowing that torn jeans were already in vogue.”

He says generosity is in his jeans. “It comes from my dad. But don’t forget we are also ‘satku’ people. I think it irritates me when our franchise is duplicated and sold by others. Such guys need to be brought to task. Our stuff is affordable. Anyone can go to our outlet and buy it. A part of my salary too goes towards BH regularly.”

Salman says he does interfere with the designing of the clothes to a certain extent. “Alvira handles the designing section. But we discuss the issue as a family before the clothes are designed. My artistic calibre goes into designing BH clothes at a later stage. Owing to my busy schedule I have yet not taken to designing the BH clothes.”

“Sanjay Dutt and Karan Johar have donated towards BH. We are also looking forward to opening a website and will be soon focussing on opening a few restaurants under BH.”

Extending help to the people belonging to the film industry he says, “I am not the only one who helps industrywallahs. There are many people who come forward to extending their help to the needy who may have served the industry at some point of time.” Talking about the sad case of Jagdish Malli he says, “I got an SMS from him one day. All I had to do is send few messages to the right people and made a few calls to satisfy his needs. But I do not need to boast about my service to mankind. I have come openly out for the first time because we decided to do so in order to be able to reach to larger people who are in dire need.”

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