Salim Malik:
By Saman Akhtar
What was your first impression of Salim?
The first time I met Salim I was drenched in rain water. He was reluctant to let me
into the shelter and made me feel unwelcome and much like an outsider. I did not
like it.
How was it growing up with Salim?
It was a rollercoaster; always up and down. From scratching around in the
streets, we were taken to an orphanage. Salim was the “dog” there; he was the
one doing all the dirty work for Maman. He became malicious, cruel and used
blackmail. He was not merciful! Although Salim had bad qualities, he ensured
that Jamal wouldn’t be blinded. He planned for us to escape by train. But just as I
thought I was going to be free, Salim “let” me slip away from his fingers.
So was that Salim’s worse moment?
No, but that was his ultimate betrayal to me. I was mad at Salim for leaving me
with Maman. But after bad, comes good. Salim and Jamal rescued me from
Maman. Salim was angry and frustrated at Maman because he realised how he
had been treated by him. Salim put a gun to his head when he refused to let me
go free. Those were the rare acts of kindness that Salim expressed.
Do you think the death of his mother caused him to turn out the way that he did?
Yes. After her death, Salim took on the role as the protector of the pack. There
was so much negativity around that it made him bitter and mean. He became
more violent than protective. He was like a ticking bomb waiting to explode. And
when he did explode, nothing could stop him from getting what he wanted, not
even Jamal. Salim had the upper hand when he realised that he could force us to
do whatever he wanted. He wanted me to sleep with him to prove his manhood.
Jamal, being protective over me, wouldn’t let this happen. Salim threatened to
shoot Jamal. And as usual, Salim got what he wanted.
So is it fair for me to say that Salim was destined for failure?
Yes. What goes around comes around. He was too deep into the dark life of the
Mumbai Underworld. His only escape from this doomed and troubled life was to
lay down his life for us. I look at it as his redemption.
Did you ever imagine that that would be the last time you saw Salim, when he let
you go?