The political and film industries suffered blows on Saturday night when armed attackers in Mumbai shot and killed senior politician and former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique.
In addition to his wide range of political connections and his capacity for unity, Siddique was well-known for throwing extravagant ‘iftar’ parties that drew the best of Bollywood.
A 2013 gathering played a key role in ending the most notorious celebrity feud in the entertainment world: Shah Rukh Khan vs. Salman Khan.
Following an intense argument at Katrina Kaif’s birthday party in 2008, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan became distant from one another and avoided each other for over five years.
On April 17, 2013, during Siddique’s annual iftar party, this cold war ended. Siddique made sure the two celebrities met face-to-face at the function by placing Shah Rukh Khan next to Salim Khan, Salman’s father. The photo that instantly went viral showed Shah Rukh and Salman greeting and hugging one another, which signalled the beginning of the end of their long-running feud.
Siddique played down his role as a mediator after their reconciliation, stating, “They both wanted it. Allah shows the way. I had no role to play.”
Numerous Bollywood celebrities, including Sanjay Dutt and Shilpa Shetty, as well as the Khans themselves, attended Siddique’s renowned iftar parties. He united people in politics and the film industry, a hallmark of his personality.
Baba in Politics
During his tenure in politics, Siddique held the posts of FDA, Labour, and Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies in addition to serving as an MLA for three times in a row from the Bandra West seat. He was connected to actor-turned-politician Sunil Dutt, who in 1999 assisted him in obtaining his first Congress ticket.
He left the Congress in February of this year, having been a part of it for almost 50 years, after a falling out over the Congress’s association with the Shiv Sena. He then joined Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Following Siddique’s death, leaders from both parties and Bollywood celebrities, including Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Shilpa Shetty, rushed to the hospital to convey their condolences.
Also Read: Baba Siddique Murder: Delhi Police to Assist in Probe
