Actor and model Somy Ali, who was believed to be in a relationship with Salman Khan in the 1990s, said on Sunday that the death threats to Khan by the Lawrence Bishnoi gang "were truly concerning". When asked if Salman should apologise to the Bishnoi community for allegedly killing a blackbuck, Ali said "it makes no sense" as he never knew that blackbucks are worshipped by the community.
In an exclusive interview to India Today, Ali said, “Why should he apologise for something he didn't know about? That's like doing something inadvertently, unintentionally and being forced to apologise for it. It makes no sense.”
"It's not about ego. People say that he [Salman] is very arrogant and he has a reputation. I have nothing to do with him or his family today. I just don't want anyone murdered, in Bollywood or Hollywood. Violence is never the answer," Ali said.
During the interview, Somy apologised to the Bishnoi community on Salman's behalf. Somy said, "I, on behalf of Salman Khan, apologise to the community. He didn't know that you worship a blackbuck. I will come to India and visit your temple..."
However, in an interview with the Free Press Journal on October 18, Ali had said, “...While I aim to encourage peaceful conversations, any apology for past actions should come from those directly involved.”
Ali's statement came days after the murder of NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique, who police say may have been targeted by the Lawrence Bishnoi's gang because of his proximity to superstar Salman Khan.
Somy Ali recently stirred a controversy with a post on Instagram, wherein she reached out to Lawrence Bishnoi and expressed her desire to speak with him.
The post, which was deleted by the actor later, read, "Namaste, Lawrence bhai, I've heard and seen that you are able to do Zoom calls despite being in jail. I want to speak to you. Please let me know whether we can arrange something. Rajasthan is my most favourite place in the world. I want to visit your temple there.
"But if we would speak over a Zoom call before that... Trust me, this will benefit you. Share your mobile number, it would be a great favour. Thank you," she wrote alongside a photo of the gangster who is currently lodged in Gujarat's Sabarmati Jail.
In an in interview to the Hindustan Times, Somy Ali clarified her intentions behind the post saying, "...when I addressed Lawrence Bishnoi, my intention was to encourage peace and dialogue, not fuel animosity."
"My intention isn’t to focus on Lawrence Bishnoi's reputation as a gangster, but rather to have a dialogue centered on peace and forgiveness," he had earlier told Free Press Journal.
Somy made it clear that she has nothing to do with Salman Khan or his family today, but she is concerned about his well-being the way she is worried about anyone else, India Today reported. "My wish to speak to Lawrence has nothing to do with my past with Salman," she had told the Free Press Journal.
She further raised concerns over the safety of women and said, "Today's film industry is a completely different landscape compared to the 90s, but safety was always an underlying concern, particularly for women. I never faced direct threats, but there were moments that left me uneasy.”
“One such moment occurred in March '93, when both Sridevi and I were staying in the SeaRock Hotel in Mumbai, and we were quickly moved out. A week later, the hotel was targeted, which sent a shockwave through me. Moments like these remind us of the fragility of our safety in the industry," Ali told the Hindustan Times on Sunday.
The Navi Mumbai police have arrested a member of the Bishnoi gang in connection with an alleged plot to kill Salman Khan, an official told news agency PTI on Thursday. The accused, Sukha alias Sukhbir Balbir Singh, was apprehended from Panipat in Haryana by a team of Panvel Town police (in Navi Mumbai) on Wednesday, he said. He had allegedly given a contract to Bishnoi gang members to kill Khan, the official said.
