Kamal Rashid Khan says, ‘I do not refer to only Salman as Budhaoo’

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Actor and self-proclaimed critic, who is considered by various celebrities and people as a joker, a charlatan or an enfant terrible, Kamal Rashid Khan a.k.a. KRK, known for his outspoken comments and unfiltered film reviews, often sparks controversies, and he is once again in the spotlight for his recent tweet in which he targeted actor Salman Khan. However, KRK spoke to the media while attending the birthday party of singer-turned-actress Amika Shail and answered all the questions of the media.

Addressing his reputation for sparking controversies on social media, KRK asserted, “I don’t know; I don’t understand this. I express ordinary thoughts, but people perceive them as strong. I can’t control how others interpret my words. If people find it controversial, there’s not much I can do about it.”

The conversation took an interesting turn when KRK was questioned about his comments regarding Salman Khan. KRK clarified that he does not refer only to Salman as ‘Budhaoo (old man)’ and explained the court ruling on the matter. He emphasized using the term for all individuals around the age of 60 and affirmed, “It’s not bad; they are all stars and it’s evident in today’s date that even at the age of 70-plus (??!!), stars like Sunny Deol and Shah Rukh Khan continue to shine in the industry. I feel that actors around the age of 60 are all elderly. Salman Khan filed a case against me, but the court ruled that using the term ‘Budhaoo’ is not derogatory.”

In response to questions about his offensive statements about various actors, directors, and others in various blogs and self-published websites, KRK said, ”I know the Hindi film industry from the inside. I know people personally. When I speak, it’s evident that what I’m saying is from this insider knowledge and experience.”

On being asked whether he does film reviews to entertain people or express frustration, KRK said, “If I criticize a bad film, how does it become venting? The issue is that every actor has a dedicated fan-base, and for them, any film featuring their favorite actor is a blockbuster, regardless of its quality. They believe in praising the film, no matter how poorly it performs at the box-office. Personally, when I review a movie, I approach it objectively. There’s no bias based on the actor’s stature, friendship or enmity. I critique the film for what it is – if it’s good, I acknowledge it; if it’s not, I express that as well. It’s not about venting frustration or forcing opinions on someone. That’s not my intent.”

He added. “I watched Tiger 3, and I wondered why the Indian audience needs to know the story of whether the government of Pakistan’s Prime Minister will stay or be overthrown by the military. What does RAW have to do with saving the government there? Considering our strained relations with Pakistan, it seems unlikely that RAW agents would go there to rescue their government. So, I said, ‘This story doesn’t seem right for the Indian public.’”

He went on, “I expressed that the film was not good and it did not resonate with me as an Indian and the same would be true for all Indian audiences. If some people perceive it as venting frustration, there’s not much I can do about it.”