It is a known fact that art often imitates life, but at times life too can imitate art. But, none of the journalists, who were called for a press conference at Vivek Oberoi’s residence in suburban Mumbai on Tuesday evening, were prepared for such a filmi plot. But, then knowing Salman Khan’s brush in the past with controversies, nothing could be ruled out. For Salman, who is nearing 40 and has had a run-in with the law, directors, friends and co-stars in the industry, the latest incident smacks of desperation. The desperation of a man, who has lost his prize catch (read Aishwarya Rai) and the goodwill of his directors and co-stars. The desperation of a former superstar — his Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun have been top grossers at the box office — whose hour of glory is long over.

Not surprisingly, during the telephonic conversation with Oberoi, Salman referred to not just Vivek’s alleged proximity with Aishwarya Rai, but also to his own career, "I’m finished. But, I’ll come back. I will be number one."

What has probably instigated Khan are rumours of a relationship between Oberoi and Rai, who are co-starring in Sameer Karnik’s Kyon Ho Gaya Na, and have two more films together. These are Roland Joffe’s Invaders and Gurinder Chadha’s Bride And Prejudice. There are also talks of Sanjay Leela Bhansali casting Vivek in his next film, Bajirao Mastani, which also stars Aishwarya.

While Vivek’s career graph has been on a rise (he has films with Mani Ratnam and Ram Gopal Varma too), Salman’s has almost reached a dead end. Though the latter has been signed for a foreign collaboration, Marigold, the film is yet to take off. The other films that he has — Tere Naam and Dil Churake Chal Diye — are nothing to boast of. Though Salman has been signed for B.R.Chopra’s Baghbaan, his role is nothing more than a cameo.
While Salman’s younger brother Sohail and close friend Bunty Walia are trying to bail out the former’s career with two home productions (Ramayan and Lucky), no big filmmaker in Mumbai is prepared to touch Salman even with a bargepole.

On the personal front too, Salman has a grouse against Vivek. While Aishwarya Rai has made a public statement saying that her relationship with Salman is over, she has been warming up to the Oberoi boy and recommending him to her directors.

So, what transpired on a muggy March midnight between two frontline actors of Hindi cinema was an attempt to settle scores, both professional and personal. But, instead of sorting it out privately, in a mature fashion, the villain and also the hero, decided to act in a manner befitting `85 only Bollywood actors `85 filmi, very filmi!

Ill-starred conduct

Salman Khan’s behaviour demonstrates a conduct disorder— a set of inflexible maladaptive traits that prevent appropriate functioning of the individual socially as well as in inter-personal relationships. Individuals whose behavioural pattern exhibits a repetitive tendency to violate the law, inflict physical and psychological harm or indulge in violent, aggressive, abusive behaviour as a norm, suffer from conduct disorders. Such attention-seeking behaviour characterises an identity crisis and star children or superbrats, the focus of too much attention or adulation, are vulnerable to it. Such character traits, coupled with a narcissistic poersonality, compound behavioural problems. Performing stars show excessively narcissistic tendencies that are encouraged by the adulation of their fans or professional image-builders and extensive media attention. Such a personality is marked by an excessive sense of self-importance along with a need for constant attention. A narcissistic personality is so self-focussed and self-obsessed that nothing except ego-gratification governs them. Despite being socially engaging and possessing excellent social skills and charm, such individuals can be manipulative and deceptive. Socially acceptable ways of channeling his impulses, behaviour and contradictions have not been evolved. Making excuses, finding alibis or the blaming game are familiar responses, while the individual repeats the conduct without remorse. Whether this disorder is due to a bio-chemical imbalance, physiologically induced or due to familial or interpersonal problems or rejection in the childhood, treatment and therapy are a must but are often resisted.. Such an individual will disregard moral or ethical rules and display a lack of conscience or a superego. Such a person can intellectually accept that he has harmed another but feels no remorse or guilt or anxiety on account of this aberration. There is a failure to accept responsibility or be accountable. Salman Khan has shown the tendency to court trouble and demonstrated scant disregard for the law of the land or the freedom of others. No adult can threaten, violate the rights of others or inflict bodily or psychological harm on whosoever he chooses to, whatever the provocation. Salman is governed totally by the Dionysian impulse or the pleasure principle that craves satisfaction of instincts in an inappropriate manner. The Pleasure Principle is opposed to the Reality Principle, which makes an individual tailor his responses and actions in a socially acceptable manner. The very purpose of adult behaviour is to modify our behaviour to suit the outer world and observe a socially acceptable code of conduct. Failure to do so makes a person a social misfit as is the case with Salman. — AN