Press Note
An appeal to His Excellency the Governor of Rajasthan to pardon Saif Ali Khan under Article 161 of the Constitution
(Through the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Rajasthan)
Your Excellency,
The media has reported today that Saif Ali Khan has charges framed against him which could lead up to 6 years imprisonment by the Jodhpur Court. I appeal to you to pardon him under Article 161 of the Constitution for the following reasons:
1. The event happened in 1998 – almost 15 years ago. During this period, there was a cloud hovering over his head throughout as he just wasn’t able to deliver hit films and he was hardly getting to act in non-multi-starrer films. Saif was the victim of much misunderstanding those days, due to his hair-style which made people doubt many things about him.
2. Saif has already been under immense, constant pressure, to try and live up to at least a fraction of his parents’ reputation and not get labelled as a useless fellow. He hails from royal lineage, his parents are legends in their own fields, bringing honor and pride to the nation.
3. Saif has already suffered a lot all these years, he has been the subject of tremendous mockery and ridicule from satire websites like The UnReal Times. It has to be pointed out that with the kind of movies Saif is making, the magnitude is only likely to increase.
4. I’ve not watched a movie in over 40 years and I have always spoken against gossip-mongering by the press. However, from the little of what the news media has shoved in my face over the years, Saif apparently has been married more than once and hence has more than one family to take care of.
5. From what I have heard, through movies such as Agent Vinod and LOC Kargil, Saif has worked for the good of the nation and has saved it on more than one occasion by fighting destructive Pakistani elements. Thus, he has inculcated patriotism in those who have watched the movies. Through his lesser known movies such as Sanam Teri Kasam, Nehley Pe Dehla, Loveria and countless others, he has engineered a devastating effect on Pakistan’s psyche after they were tricked into watching these movies on pirated DVDs, thereby rendering a valuable service to the nation. In Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, he has spread a good and noble message of sacrifice, when he asks his fiancée to return to her lover, who also happens to be his sworn enemy since college days. In Race too, he has been a good man and promoted great values.
6. He has been conferred with prestigious honours like the National Award and Padma Shri.
In these circumstances, I respectfully appeal to your Excellency to pardon Saif Ali Khan and set him free. I am reminded of Saif’s scene from the movie “Dil Chahta Hai” where he says, “Ha main…magar woh…suno toh… tumne toh….lekin main….” I am pretty sure this is how the poor soul must be reacting at the moment.
(Also read Justice Katju’s [real] letter to Maharashtra governor on pardon for Sanjay Dutt)