“I always thought Bollywood stays silent during Salman Khan controversies because they fear his bigness. But this opinion changed when I met him at IIFA this year,” says actress and fashionista Rupali Suri. “I realised that people do not fear him, they respect him.” Talking about her interview with the Sultan actor for her IIFA green carpet assignment, the Gladrags MegaModel winner recounts, “There was a lot of chirpy frenzy around, but as soon as Salman walked in and stood before me for the interview, all of a sudden, the atmosphere changed. Everyone was quiet, as if waiting for him to begin.” “After the interview, the ambience was again relaxed and industry people continued their other work as if nothing had changed. Salman was still around and being cordial with people. There and then it struck me that it was not fear but immense respect that drove them to silence for the few minutes I conducted the interview.” This realisation was overwhelming for Rupali.
