Actor-director Puneet Issar recently opened up about working with Salman Khan on the 2004 film Garv: Pride & Honour—a time when Salman was dealing with the aftermath of the 2002 hit-and-run case. Despite being mentally disturbed by the ongoing case, Salman remained focused and professional on set, Puneet shared in a conversation with Siddharth Kannan on YouTube.
Salim Khan’s advice played a big role
Puneet revealed that Salman’s father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, played a key role in helping Salman stay on track. “Obviously, the man was disturbed,” Puneet said. “But his family made a collective decision that he should focus on work. Salim sahab told me to make sure Salman stayed busy with shooting—it was the right thing, and Salman did just that.”
Salman showed professionalism on the set
Despite facing public and media scrutiny, Puneet noted that Salman showed strong morale on set. “He was very professional. He came on time, worked out, and focused on his scenes. He was in his comfort zone, doing what he does best,” Puneet added.
A look back at the 2002 hit-and-run case
The case dates back to 2002 when Salman was accused of driving his SUV over a group of people sleeping on a Bandra pavement, resulting in the death of one person. He was also alleged to be under the influence of alcohol at the time and was charged with culpable homicide.
In a major development in 2015, the Bombay High Court acquitted Salman Khan. Justice A.R. Joshi stated that the prosecution failed to prove any of the charges, ruling that there was not enough evidence to confirm Salman was drunk or even behind the wheel of the vehicle.
