18.05.2026 18:01
Actor Halil İbrahim Kalaycıoğlu claimed that his colleague İlyas Salman did not prepare him for the conservatory exam because he is a Sunni, and therefore he does not forgive Salman. Responding to Kalaycıoğlu's allegations, Salman said, "If I ask people about their sects, I have done so to others for fifty years. Let a few more people come out and say, 'Yes, İlyas asked me too.'"
İlyas Salman, one of the iconic actors of Yeşilçam, responded to the claims made by his colleague Halil İbrahim Kalaycıoğlu, who alleged that Salman refused to prepare him for conservatory exams because he is a Sunni.
'SECT ASK' ALLEGATION
The spark of the debate was ignited by Kalaycıoğlu's statements about the past during a television program he attended. Recounting the dialogue he claimed took place between him and İlyas Salman during his time in Ankara to apply for the State Conservatory exams, Kalaycıoğlu said he approached the famous actor, mentioned they were from the same hometown, and requested Salman's training.
Kalaycıoğlu alleged that Salman asked him, "Are you a Sunni?" and upon receiving a "Yes" answer, replied, "I can't deal with you," then pointed to another candidate and said, "This one will get in, you won't." Kalaycıoğlu stated that for this reason, he does not forgive İlyas Salman.
RESPONSE FROM İLYAS SALMAN
While Kalaycıoğlu's allegations quickly sparked widespread reactions, a response came from İlyas Salman. Referring to the period in question, Salman reminded that in 1976, he was also a young actor just starting to find his footing in Yeşilçam.
In a post on his social media account, Salman emphasized that he has never been an employer or hired anyone in his life, and addressing the sectarianism accusations, he said: "If I were asking people about their sects, I would have done the same to others over the past fifty years. Let a few more people come out and say, 'Yes, İlyas asked me too.'"