Accused of shooting two endangered black bucks while on location in Rajasthan, Salman was arrested on charges of violating the Wildlife Protection Act on Monday and remanded to custody. He faces up to seven years rigorous imprisonment if convicted.

Riding a career high after hits like Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya

and Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai

, Salman has signed on films as Rajshri's Hum Saath Sath Hain

, K C Bokadia's Aap Mere Hai Sanam

with Madhuri Dixit and Shah Rukh Khan, Sajid Nadiadwala's Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega

starring Karisma Kapoor and Rani Mukherji, Vashu Bhagnani's Biwi No 1

with Anil Kapoor, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

with Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgan and Aishwarya Rai, Janam Samjha Karo

with Urmila Matondkar andhome production Hello Brother

. He was also signed on by the producer of the recently released Bandhan

for his next venture.

The films starring the other stars who had accompanied Salman on the hunt - Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam - will also be affected as they will have to shuttle between Mumbai and Rajasthan to attend court proceedings.

Film Producers Guild of India chief Surinder Kapoor commented: ``The stars have been caught at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Unfortunately, it is the producers of the films these stars are working in that will ultimately suffer. At the most, we can appeal to the Chief Minister to release Salman on bail to complete films on hand. This has been done in the past in the case of Balraj Sahani in Mumbai and Tamil stars M R Radha and Krishnan in Chennai in the past,'' he stated.

Shakti Samanta, president of the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association, said it was premature to reveal the association's stand. However, he admitted thatif Salman were detained further, producers would suffer the most. ``We will simply have to wait for the law to take its own course,'' he shrugged.

A more trenchant K D Shorey, general secretary of the Film Federation of India faulted the behaviour of ``young stars who cannot digest their fame and fortune.'' He pointed put: ``By killing endangered animals, Salman has not only damaged his career, but also sullied the reputation of the industry.''

Shooting saga:

Bollywood has an unenviable history of actors and directors with a weakness for hunts. Music director Naushad claimed to have killed a tiger which he then stuffed and used to adorn his bungalow. Johnny Walker was also known to enjoy hunting. Hunting was then not considered illegal. But as recent as 1992, hunting partners Sanjay and Feroz Khan were arrested for killing deer in a forest while on location for the film Yaalgaar

. They were let off.