All quiet on Bollywood front as Salman Khan spends another night in jail

Salman Khan today spent a second consecutive day at the Jodhpur Central Jail but few of his Twitter happy colleagues ventured online to voice their support for the 'Sultan' of Bollywood, arguably the industry's most saleable star.

Yesterday, director Subhash Ghai, actor-politicians Jaya Bachchan and Raj Babbar and actor Varun Dhawan were among the few people backing Salman, who was convicted for killing two blackbucks in October 1998 and sentenced to five years in jail.

Today, there was online silence from the biggies of the industry.

However, some of his friends and colleagues did visit the actor's family at their home in Galaxy Apartments here.

Saif Ali Khan, who was acquitted in the case and Shatrughan Sinha with wife Poonam and daughter Sonakshi called on the family. Ramesh Taurani, producer of "Race 3", which is still under production, and ex sister-in-law Malaika also visited the family.

Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala, a close friend of Salman, cancelled the success party of his latest release "Baaghi 2" and left for Jodhpur soon after the verdict.

But most big stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, known for articulating their views and active on social media, stayed mum.

This is Salman's fifth stint in jail, on charges varying from poaching and killing a pedestrian in a hit and run in 2002 in Mumbai.

A sessions court Friday reserved its decision on Salman's bail plea till tomorrow.

The actor is said to have shot and killed two blackbucks in Kankani village near Jodhpur on the night of October 1, 1998 during the shooting of the film "Hum Saath Saath Hain".

The trial court acquitted his Bollywood colleagues Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre and a local, Dushyant Singh, giving them the "benefit of doubt".

None of the actors, who flew down to Jodhpur for the hearing, have commented on Salman's conviction till now.

Neelam's husband Samir Soni told PTI after the verdict yesterday, "I am happy for Neelam and the rest. I don't know why Salman was singled out. It seems his celebrity status has come in the way."

Others from the industry did sympathise with the 52-year-old star, but were cautious.

"I hope he gets justice in the coming times. I am sure, he is a strong man and people's good wishes are with him which will help him overcome the difficult times.

"It is my personal experience that Salman Khan is a good human being and has done a lop of philanthropic work for the welfare of people, irrespective of caste or community," Babbar had said.

"I am extremely shocked," film director Ghai said, adding that he had "full trust in the Indian judiciary which has many other doors" for an "appeal for final justice".

Jaya Bachchan said the punishment was harsh, and added that Khan had done "a lot of humanitarian work".

Actor Varun Dhawan, who was in Delhi to promote his upcoming film "October", tweeted, "I know for a fact that Salman bhai and his family have the utmost respect and faith in our judiciary system. Salman Khan is one of the strongest and most genuine people I know and I'm sure he will come out of this stronger."