The veteran screenwriter behind Sholay and Zanjeer is recovering at Lilavati Hospital. Doctors report stability, and an entire industry is reminded of how much this man gave to Hindi cinema.
On February 17, the news spread quietly at first. A brief bulletin. A hospital name. A medical term. But within hours, Bollywood felt the full weight of it. Salim Khan — the 90-year-old screenwriting legend who helped shape Hindi cinema — had suffered a minor brain haemorrhage. Doctors admitted him to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai.
By Wednesday, his doctor stepped forward with cautious but welcome news. Dr. Jalil D. Parkar told reporters, “There was minimal brain haemorrhage. A small procedure was done this morning and it was accomplished. He is fine and stable but is still on a ventilator. By tomorrow, hopefully, we will take him off the ventilator. Keeping his age in mind, the recovery time is longer.”
Doctors say a sudden spike in blood pressure triggered the episode. This caused internal bleeding on the right side of the brain. The procedure is now complete, and the medical team confirms that recovery is moving in the right direction.
Beyond the clinical updates, an industry quietly exhaled — and began to remember.
The Man Behind the Movies
To younger fans, Salim Khan is best known as Salman Khan’s father. However, to anyone who understands Hindi cinema’s history, he is something far greater. Together with writing partner Javed Akhtar, Salim Khan formed the legendary duo known simply as “Salim-Javed.” Their scripts for Zanjeer (1973), Deewar (1975), and Sholay (1975) did not just entertain audiences. They rewired the cultural imagination of an entire nation. Their work created the “angry young man” archetype that ruled Indian screens for a generation.
Today, at 90, Salim Khan stands as one of the last living connections to that golden era. That is exactly why this news hit so hard.
“I Am Shah Rukh Khan Today Because of Salim Khan”
As news of his condition spread, an old interview quickly resurfaced. In 2018, Shah Rukh Khan spoke with striking honesty to IANS about the debt he owes the Khan family.
“I am Shah Rukh Khan today because of Salim Khan,” he said plainly.
He then described his earliest days in Mumbai — before the fame, before the blockbusters, before everything. “The first time I came to Mumbai as a struggling actor, I had my meals at Salman Khan’s place, where Salim Khan ji supported me a lot. It is because of them I have become ‘Shah Rukh Khan.'”
These are remarkable words from one of the world’s biggest film stars. Moreover, they point to something the film industry has quietly understood for decades. Salim Khan’s generosity never stayed on the page.
Galaxy Apartments: A Door That Was Always Open
Actor Sooraj Pancholi described this generosity perhaps most vividly. In an interview with Instant Bollywood, he recalled the Khan family home at Galaxy Apartments in Bandra as a place unlike any other in the film world.
“Their Galaxy house was always open. Anyone who wanted to come could come. No lock, always open. You could just push it anytime and walk right in. You could open their fridge and eat whatever you want.”
In an industry where access is currency, that image is powerful. A fridge freely opened. A front door with no lock. It says more about Salim Khan’s character than any award or title ever could.
Family Gathers at Lilavati
Through every update, the Khan family has stayed close. Salim’s wives — Salma Khan and veteran actress Helen — along with son Salman Khan, all visited Lilavati Hospital on Wednesday. It was a quiet, private vigil set against a very public wave of concern.
Dr. Parkar has expressed clear optimism about removing ventilator support soon. Furthermore, he expects recovery to continue steadily after that.
For now, Bollywood waits — grateful for every positive update, aware of what is at stake, and quietly counting everything this one man gave it.
