4 min readMumbaiFeb 18, 2026 09:10 AM IST
Salman Khan’s ex-girlfriend and Pakistani-American actor Somy Ali is praying for his father Salim Khan’s speedy recovery. The veteran screenwriter was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday morning. While the exact cause isn’t known, he’s currently in the Intensive Care Unit, stable but under close medical observation, as per a statement shared with Lilawati hospital with SCREEN.
“Hearing that Salim Khan has been hospitalized made my heart sink,” wrote Somy on her Instagram handle on Tuesday, sharing a picture of Salim with his two wives — Salma Khan and legendary actor Helen. “To the world, he is a legendary writer who helped shape icons like Amitabh Bachchan and co-created masterpieces like Sholay. To me, he was a father figure,” added Somy.
Salim, along with his writing partner Javed Akhtar, were the most formidable screenwriter duo in the history of Hindi cinema. They were the architects of Bachchan as the Angry Young Man in the 1970s, and the force behind Ramesh Sippy’s 1975 seminal blockbuster Sholay. Legacy aside, Somy also recalled her personal interactions with her “father figure” when she was dating Salman.
“Living in his home, I was treated like a daughter, included at the table, engaged in deep conversations about faith, where all religions were respected and celebrated. He taught me that God is bigger than doctrine, and that storytelling must always carry truth beneath the drama,” wrote Somy. A Pakistani citizen, Somy lived at Salim and Salman’s residence Galaxy Apartments in Bandra, Mumbai while she was dating the actor in the 1990s.
“His brilliance built cinematic history. His humanity built people. Praying for his strength and recovery. He means more to me than words can say,” added Somy. She also posted hashtags like ‘Praying for my father’ and ‘Thank you for giving me a home’. Somy was dating Salman for eight years, from 1991 to 1999, after which he fell in love with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam co-star Aishwarya Rai on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 1999 hit romantic drama. Their relationship ended on a sour note and Somy has accused Salman of poor behaviour, infidelity and verbal harassment in recent years. However, she has always spoken highly of his parents and their relationship.
Meanwhile, on the day Salim Khan was admitted to Lilavati Hospital, the hospital issued a bulletin in the evening. “Respecting the relatives’ request, further details ain’t being shared today. However, tomorrow at 11 am we shall be addressing a press bulletin with due consent of the relatives and maintaining the confidentiality of the patient to the utmost. Kindly bear with us. He is stable but is under close observation in regards to his clinical status,” stated the hospital.
Post his hospitalization, a host of family members were seen visiting Salim Khan. These included sons Salman and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira Agnihotri, son-in-law and filmmaker Atul Agnihotri, son-in-law and actor Aayush Sharma, and Helen among others. Javed Akhtar was also seen paying a visit to his longtime associate. So did actor Amrita Rao, the sister of Salim’s former daughter-in-law Malaika Arora.
