Somy Ali: From Bollywood Starlet to Florida Women’s Rights Champion (NYT Blogs)
Today she runs a non-profit organization in Florida that rescues women from domestic violence, but in another life, Somy Ali was just a girl with a Bollywood crush — and a girl on a mission.
And so, in 1992, at the startlingly young age of 15, she moved from Miami to Mumbai with one goal: to marry Bollywood megastar Salman Khan. “At 15, you have a license to be stupid,” recalls Ms. Ali. “I had a crush, and I thought in order to meet him, I’d have to join films. So I did.”
She makes it look just that simple. Despite having moved to Florida from Pakistan at a young age, Ms. Ali somehow persuaded her father to send her to India under the pretext of wanting to experience the culture. She had celebrated photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha shoot her portfolio, and was approached by Dharmendra’s agent in a hotel lobby, asking to screen-test her for a project designed to launch his son Bobby Deol. To call what happened next serendipity would be an understatement — Ms. Ali says Salman Khan himself randomly chanced upon her photographs at a modeling agency, and he called her, offering her a role in his next film.
Read the complete piece HERE.
SATYAMSHOT 
February 23, 2012 at 1:39 PM
“But Ms. Ali is quick to jump to his defense. “I was out with some friends and had a rum and Coke; he felt I was in wrong company and didn’t want me drinking, so he poured it on the table,” she clarifies”
It is rather ironic that she runs an NGO that works for the cause of domestic abuse- but she still tries to justify the aggressive behavior of a man who has a long history in this regard.
“He was beyond wonderful to me … aside from the cheating,” she adds as an afterthought.” LOL!
But it is very commendable work that she is doing and more power to her for getting out of what was clearly a very unequal relationship and doing something so worthwhile with her life.
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February 25, 2012 at 10:55 AM
“It is rather ironic that she runs an NGO that works for the cause of domestic abuse- but she still tries to justify the aggressive behavior of a man who has a long history in this regard. ”
but aggressive behavior IS NOT EQUAL TO abuse ami.
All men are protective about their women and being aggressive in a way sallu did – i guess any man or most of the men would do that….so….
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February 25, 2012 at 11:15 AM
“All men are protective about their women and being aggressive in a way sallu did..”
You mean break coke bottle on their GF’s head? lolz
or slap them around every so often. haha
Actually I was reflecting on Sallu…ALL his gf’s had bad experience(s) with him. A.B had even printed in news how the time she spent with him were the most horrific in her life etc. So there must be some fire to the smoke……
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February 25, 2012 at 12:07 PM
but when did he break coke bottle on her head? she herself denies it..
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February 25, 2012 at 12:11 PM
hahaha
forget the coke bottle
the pertinent question here is–
” has somy ali married
if not-why?
the ‘perpetual wait’? lol”
Surely there are loads of studs like satyam around where she is?
why the wait 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Despite everything to the contrary- of how Salman has repeatedly misbehaved with all of his girlfriends and the utliple other offences that he has committed- if people still choose go believe that he is respectful of women- I think that they are only ignoring the obvious.
But this is just my opinion. I think that he is abusive and controlling. If you want to believe that he is merely protective- you’re welcome to than opinion- I do not buy it for a second- hence my comment.
Even if you accept Somi’s version of the events as the truth- I still think that his behaviour is hypocritical and controlling. Thankfully for me- I know any number of men who would never be boorish enough to embarrass their girlfriends in public by emptying their drinks across the table because they do not approve of their girlfriends drinking- especially when they happen to drink themselves (as Salman does). So I certainly do not agree that all/ most men would react that way.
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February 25, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Alex- perhaps she isn’t married because she didn’t want to? Maybe her relationship with Salman left her scarred- or her continual interactions with victims of domestic abuse has made her cynical of the institution of marriage- or maybe she simply does not want to get married. Who knows? 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 1:26 PM
“but when did he break coke bottle on her head? she herself denies it..”
hmmmm…idea…wonder Y thee so protective of Sallu.
Anyhow, if some one contributes to my charity generously, I would not be too critical of that EX also 😉
One gets the “loser” profile until the redeeming act of the good cause comes into the picture. I wonder why she thought of various charities instead of getting herself a regular job like regular american..seems like either her father is rich or sallu left her rich. Either way:
it would do society a lot good if she told the truth (about Sallu).
just like it would be nice if KJO could come out of that clsoet: it will do a lot of good to the gay cause (in India).
I wonder though, Y she is suddenly all over the media. I read about all this not so long ago somewhere as well. Dhal may kuch….
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February 25, 2012 at 1:28 PM
“Alex- perhaps she isn’t married because ..”
She couldn’t find someone (nice) like you. Now go ‘rescue’ her 😉
p.s: don’t tell bhabhi ji and kids, where u headed. lolz
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February 28, 2012 at 6:27 PM
I WONT DO THAT….THE DAY I DO THAT TO MY WIFE… MY PARENTS WILL THROW ME OUT… i m shocked who gave u such morals…
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February 28, 2012 at 6:33 PM
@ ideaunique
I m terribly worried for the person u will marry…. Now i can understand how Hitler was able to justify Holocaust… people can justify just anything…
THIS IS BLOODY CRIMINAL DUDE… it is not rite… plz dnt do this to ur loved one’s…
Who will PROTECT them from YOU…
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February 28, 2012 at 6:53 PM
@ideaunique
And dude… even most of the men wont do that….thats wat u r telling urself to justify ur viewpoint.. Families dont run that way… U dont raise children that way.. u raise animals that way..
Unless someone belongs to some Khap panchayat running Honour killing factories
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February 23, 2012 at 1:49 PM
She is so delusional, “And if I had not broken up with him and come to America, I would have married him and been unhappy.”
He never proposed her. She wasted 15 years of her life. Then he dumped her for A.R.
From the interview it seems like she is still in love with him. Somehow I get image of N.Fakiri when I read the interview!
Good that she has found her calling and is making a difference by helping women.
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February 23, 2012 at 6:11 PM
on a somewhat related note to somy ali–
LOL news
http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/celebrity/it-s-arranged-marriage-for-katrina-kaif_106395.htm
Well…this news is going to break a number of hearts for sure! Katrina Kaif has made up her mind to get married to the person of her mother’s choice.
The hottie, who was earlier in love with her mentor Salman Khan, was also allegedly in a relationship with her ‘Raajneeti’ co-star Ranbir Kapoor. But the pretty girl seems to have had enough of the men from the Tinsel Town.
According to a leading tabloid, Katrina has indeed asked her mother to look for a suitable match for her.
Talking to the tabloid, a friend of the actress said, “Katrina has told her mother to find her a guy. She has decided to go with whatever `momma says`.”
Apparently, Katrina was not surprised when rumours of her reconciliation with Ranbir Kapoor started doing the rounds recently. And in order to clear the air, the actress came up with this decision of hers.
“Katrina is done with Ranbir. She didn`t want to spend time with him and that`s why decided to opt out of Ayaan Mukerji`s film. In fact, Katrina will not consider offers to be cast opposite Ranbir in the near future,” the friend of the actress added.
According to Katrina’s friend, the actress is in no mood to date anyone from the industry anymore. She is looking for a non-Bollywood person to play her real life partner.
“No looking for or falling in love in the film industry for Katrina. She has learnt the hard way that love is a rare commodity in the industry. She wants to avoid any more emotional stress in the future and just focus on her work. No emotional involvement with co-stars, no matter what the temptation,” said the friend.
If you have really made up you mind for an arranged marriage, we are with you girl.
Here’s wishing you all the very best. May you get the best guy in the world!kat
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February 23, 2012 at 7:33 PM
Err…Katrina’s mother is British and she’s had children with different men who she wasn’t married to. I highly doubt she is going to be arranging marriages for her daughter any time soon.
“To understand Katrina’s success you have to understand her background, for she was raised by a woman who genuinely believed the world is your oyster. Bristolborn Suzanne Turcotte brought up her eight children, mostly as a single mother and teaching English as a foreign language as they travelled the globe. “We did not have a conventional childhood, ” says sister Christine.
In support of their mother, Suzanne’s children are unanimously vague about their different fathers. They all have Canadian accents and lived there for some time, but birthplaces also include Japan and France. Katrina who was born in Hong Kong is the only child who is half-Indian and her father, Mohammed Kaif, originally from Kashmir is a British citizen.”
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February 23, 2012 at 7:47 PM
Arranged marraige is really a *forward* concept. Think of it as blind date. Also remember “arrange” marraige doesn’t equal to “forced” marraige. Only the meeting is arranged (blind date). I think in west when they hear “arranged” word they immediately get the “tsk-tsk” reaction!
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February 23, 2012 at 7:50 PM
I’m not from the west Di- I know what an arranged marriage is. 😉 However I find it highly unlikely that Kat’s mother will be arranging any marriages for her.
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February 23, 2012 at 8:04 PM
lolz. Alex has a choice now…bipasha or katrina…they both are looking. Who do you think he will choose 😉
Knowing him..he might convert and choose both. 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Bipasha–nooo
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February 25, 2012 at 11:52 AM
btw is somy ali married
if not-why
the ‘perpetual wait’? lol
ps-dont really get this ‘protectiveness’ business
of breaking bottles on the head or slapping (katrina)
ps–think sm has (in her own words) skimmed thru all lilerature on salman for ages–perhaps she can shed some lite
dont worry sm-not being naughty 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 12:00 PM
WTF? He slapped Katrina as well? And I thought that he emptied the bottle on her head- but he broke it on her head? How monstrous.
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February 23, 2012 at 7:58 PM
Forget the past. The girl was in love. Look beyond her infatuation/love. Whatever she is doing now needs to be lauded. I salute her.
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February 24, 2012 at 12:26 AM
Plus, it’s good to see Salman has also put money into the venture, and seems to have lobbied friends to do so as well.
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February 25, 2012 at 7:37 AM
nobody mentioned it surprisingly—
Whats so LOL about this whole thing is–
inspite of all that somy ali has (apparently) gone thru due to salman (inclduing possible mental/physical +-sexual abuse)
is–
she cannot hear or say anything bad about salman even now—infact defends even his most obvious misdeeds
dont they say soemthing bout being ‘love-blind’
oh: the perils of ‘love’ 😉
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February 25, 2012 at 9:53 AM
I highly doubt that she is still in love with him. She probably doesn’t want to evoke his wrath or alienate the support he is providing to her NGO by taking truthfully of her time with him.
He’s a very powerful man and I don’t think she can risk it.
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February 25, 2012 at 7:38 AM
also reminds me of certain fans of srk and salman
Some can fight the whole world
and some becum closet fans shut out to the outside world to escape persecution to their ‘love’
hahaha
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February 25, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Just when we hoped satyam would be lending (more than) a helping hand to the damsel in distress (and neighbour) somy ali–
Satyam is busy posting pics of meena kumari!!
Lol @kids –those who are ‘kids’ themselves dont have kids haha
btw nobody is talking about male domestic abuse here
No doubt, satyam (and some toher uncles) are noticeably quiet 🙂
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February 25, 2012 at 3:45 PM
Re: No doubt, satyam (and some toher uncles) are noticeably quiet
Sorry, gramps. No idea what you are on about.
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February 25, 2012 at 3:19 PM
Salman is a flawed individual for sure. And some of his crimes ( like physical abuse or running over people) are almost unpardonable but it gets irritating after a while when he repeatedly gets put down for those offenses. And, some for sure have been exaggerated. Sometimes, we are guilty of getting too judgemental and hanging on to perceptions. Salman is so often portrayed as some kind of monster that we dont acknowledge there is another side to him too.
No one is perfect and no one is all bad ( may be SRK is an exception, to the second fact).
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February 25, 2012 at 4:34 PM
LOL, on the last bit!
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February 28, 2012 at 6:42 PM
Jesus has said ” if your right hand is helping the needy… ur left hand should not know”… ye faltu ki nautanki aur media gimmiks charity nahi… image making hain…
I dont believe salman changed from a dacoit to VALMIKI…. all of a sudden.. i guess u know who Valmiki was…
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February 25, 2012 at 4:50 PM
” Salman is so often portrayed as some kind of monster…”
Have you seen/been to a jail…they are humans just like us in there…just that once they did something bad.
The think with celebs is that they can do wrong again and again and not have to face any consequences, be it killing innocent pedestrians or hitting gfs or abusing journos/photags.
We cannot condone those things even if they are doing lot of charity (being human) or are ‘nice’ otherwise!
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February 28, 2012 at 6:37 PM
@ Di
Wonderful answer
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February 28, 2012 at 8:17 PM
Thank you Doctor saab…am lone voice here. 😦
I am glad you are champion of women’s right and support/respect them! WTG
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February 28, 2012 at 6:48 PM
The way a guy treats a woman tells us something… It tells how was his mother and other women were treated in his family… It is something I learned in Psychiatry classes… B’coz that defines the status of a woman in ur eyes.. It is a deep rooted Childhood Scar on one’s psyche…
If one justifies women being smashed or even abused and PROTECTED for thier own good… well… Time to visit ur shrink..
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September 15, 2023 at 4:12 AM
She sounds very reasonable….contrary to perception she has many positive things to say about Salman..
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