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Salman Khan, when not irked, is one of the most fun-loving people to interview. Not because he gives all the answers to the questions you ask but because he makes sure that it is one insightful and a heartwarming discussion where he talks about his life, Bollywood journey and more! Salman’s interaction with us ahead of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ was just the same. He candidly spoke to us for almost an hour chatting about his 27 years journey in B-town, his film ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and his forthcoming projects! Read on…
Kabir Khan in one of his interviews mentioned that this is not a typical Salman Khan film where he is playing a larger than life character.
Even though I am playing a realistic character, it is still larger than life. The film is made on a grand scale. It’s by far the biggest character that I have played. I had to put a lot of hard work in it. My earlier films like ‘Kick’, ‘Dabangg’ and ‘Ready’ to name a few were all chalta purza characters. ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ will bring back the innocence that I had in ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. There are three different types of reactions the audience gives when they come out of the theatre; mazaa nahi aaya (didn’t like the film), doosra hai ki achi film hai (it’s a nice film) and the third one is kya kar diya in logon ne? ekdum zabardast. (What have they done? It’s mind-blowing). People who have seen the rushes of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ have had the third reaction. This assures us that we have made a good movie and people would come and watch the movie again and again. I learnt the lesson of showing the rushes of the film during ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. Sooraj (director Sooraj Barjatya) would show the rushes and people would want to see it again. When you see a repeat audience during the rushes where the movie is shown without sound and rushes or any editing, it means that the film has something in it. Humari zindagi main kabhi kabhi aisa hota hai ki koi chehra baar baar dekhne ka mann karta hai… jaise ki inka chehra (points towards the PR girl). That’s the same quality ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ has. I am sure people will come and watch the film again and again.
What are the parameters that you consider while signing a film?
Earlier we would sign films because producers and directors would request us to do it. We would be disillusioned by them. Later on while shooting the film, we would realize our mistake. Our reaction would be ‘Aree yaar ye maine kya kar diya.’ But that’s not the case with me anymore. If I like the script and know it has the potential to do well, I would give my best to it. A film is made on the writing table and the editing table. Even if the script isn’t good and the makers have started shooting it, they should be ready to change it immediately. It will take around 15-20 days to reshoot the portions which are better than releasing a bad film. The films that are doing well are because even if it goes wrong they know they can correct it.
Do you ever feel pressurized to do the kind of films that your fans demand?
I feel we are in tandem. The films that I do are the only films that I would watch. I don’t want to do films where people see the trailer and say sweet film achi lag rahi hai badh main kabhi time rahega toh dekh lege. I want do films where people have the urgency of watching it.
Tell us about your experience of working with Harshali Malhotra (child actor).
She is like a grown up woman just like a diva. When and if she becomes big and becomes the lead actress, she will give all the other actresses a run for the money. The first thing she told me when I met her was, ‘Aap mujhe aap ki tarah ek superstar bana do na please.’ I thought her mother would have told her but that wasn’t the case. She has set her goals at such a young age. I hope she doesn’t lose her innocence with all the attention she is getting. She is an amazing actor with an impeccable timing.
You worked with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ‘Kick’ and somewhere people felt that he took away the limelight from you…
(Interrupts) Aisa kuch nahi hai. That’s not true. If that would be case then he would have been doing my role and I would be doing the films that he is doing.
So how was it working with him again in ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’?
He is a positive and hardworking guy. The good part is that he hasn’t allowed success to get into his head. He likes his work and is not bothered about the result.
You complete 27 years in Bollywood.
I remember it was April 4 1988 when I signed ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ but I am still trying to find out the date on which I met director J K Bihari and signed my first film ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi’.
Do you remember how did you first sign your first film?
Yes it’s an amazing story (Smiles). J K Bihari had approached a lot of actor but they all refused it. I remember he had his office out of a garage. A couple of actors had gone and met him but things couldn’t be finalized so out of frustration he said that ‘Ab koi bhi next idiot ayega main usko sign kar dunga.’ And after sometime I walked in and I was the lucky idiot (Laughs). I was really lucky because ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ did really well but no Rajshri (director Sooraj Barjatya’s production house) heroes have ever worked apart from me. Rajshri heroes have got work but they have never become stars apart from me. Perhaps if ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ was my first film then I would also have failed (Laughs).
How was the feeling after you signed your first film?
I knew ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi’ but I had nothing to do in it. I was playing a supporting character who would just pass by in some scenes (Laughs). I was happy that I had signed my first film and I went with my own homework but when I reached the sets, waha pe toh kuch aur scene tha. Jo bhi soch ke gaya tha who sab phus (Laughs). I realized it would be my first and last film. In fact I had thought of becoming a writer and get into direction and get back to modeling. At the same time I called Sooraj (Sooraj Barjatya director of ‘Maine Par Kiya’) and told him not to cast me in ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ as his father (Tarachan Barjatya) was spending a lot of money. I told him that I would work with him as an assistant director on the film. He requested me whether he could watch ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi’ and I obliged. During the screening he asked me, ‘Why are your eyes looking so big?’ I was shocked. I asked him is that the only thing that you noticed? He said that the film was like a screen test and he was confident of casting me in his film. I was like ‘Bach gaye yaar’ (Laughs).
What was your family’s reaction to Biwi Ho Toh Aisi?
I had taken them to see the film and half way through they were all dozing off (Laughs). I expected the reaction. Later I took them to watch the first cut of ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ and they were sleeping in that film also.
But you did a good job in Maine Pyar Kiya?
But the first cut of ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ was four hours and some minutes (Laughs). I remember asking Arbaaz how he liked the film and he told me, ‘It started really well but I think ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi’ was better.’ I went to Sooraj and he said don’t worry the film would be edited. I heaved a sigh of relief. In fact tabhi life ka ambition tha Rs 10 lakh kamana which I did. I thought to put the money in the bank and get back to writing and modeling. In fact at that time Aamir Khan had done well. A new Bandra boy had suddenly become a star and we never thought it would happen (Laughs). So it was a big boj on my chaati (Laughs). I was feeling that if I don’t do well I will be screwed. I was like Bandra main toh koi nahi puchega toh Bhayandar main jaake rehna padega. Bandra to Bhayandar (Laughs). Luckily ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ was a huge hit but our actress Bhagyashee decided to quit.
So like Aamir, you also became a big star after Maine Pyar Kiya?
I didn’t have work for six months after ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ released. Can you imagine the lead actor of a film which broke the records of ‘Sholay’ was out of work? I thought like other Rajshri heroes ka jinx true ho gaya (Laughs). Then my father Salim Khan decided to take things in his hand. He went to producer G P Sippy and told him to give a fake announcement in the trade magazines that he had signed me for one of his upcoming films and he agreed. The advertisement came and next day Ramesh Taurani (owner of Tips music) landed up in his office with Rs. 5 lakhs for the music rights of the film that he had signed me for (Laughs). G P Sippy started the film with that money but it never got made (Laughs). Later director Deepak Shivdasani came to me with the remake of a Bengali film. Mithun Chakraborty was the lead hero who had 17 brothers in the film and I had to play the role of youngest brother. I told Deepak, ‘Aise movies karne se acha hai I get back to writing.’ He was impressed and he told me that he would like to listen to some story. I remember we were sitting at Sea Rock Hotel’s coffee shop. I saw a girl passing in a red sari with which I made up a story. I told him that I have a love story of a guy who falls in love with a girl who is broken down to being a prostitute. He loved the idea and told me that he would like to read the entire script. Ab mere pass toh koi script nahi thi (Laughs). I told him to come after two days. At that time I had the car that I used in Maine Pyar Kiya which would refuse to start. So I would always try to park it on a slope so that jhatka maar ke I would start it. I rushed back home and started writing which was barely readable because of my pathetic handwriting. Later I requested my father’s secretary to write it for me. The film was later written by Javed Siddiqui and was titled ‘Baaghi’.
You are working with Kabir Khan for the second time…
(Interrupts) let me go step by step After ‘Baaghi’ my next film was ‘Suryvanshi’ which was directed by Rakesh Kumar. He heard G P Sippy’s announcement (Laughs). Vijay Kumar Galani (producer of ‘Suryavanshi’) booked a room in Sea Rock Hotel for our meeting. So at that time when a producer would book a room in a five start hotel we would think, Ye badi maaldaar party hai. (Laughs). I would be scared thinking that what if I have to pay the bill? Director Rakesh Kumar had made big films like ‘Khoon Pasina’, ‘Yaarana’, ‘Mr.Natwarlal’, ‘Do Aur Do Paanch’. He hadn’t made a film for a while so I thought ‘Suryvanshi’ would be his comeback film. My price at that time was Rs 4 lakhs but I had signed the film for Rs 11 lakhs. Today Vijay Galani who produced ‘Veer’ owes me Rs 15 crores for the movie. Instead of paying me the money he has sued me for 200 crore. Rs 11 lakh ka badla Rs 200 crore (Laughs). He has been a dear friend of mine for 15 years so I am not going to leave my money nor am I going to leave my friendship with him.
Then I met Kabir when he came to narrate me through Apoorva. He is there in ‘Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya’, the guy whose shirt I tear. He has worked with me for the longest time. They used to hang out with me and in the night we used to party. Apoorva got Kabir home. He showed me some stuff he shot for ‘Kabul Express’ and that stayed onto my mind. I said that I want to play Taliban’s character. Kabir thought I was joking. He didn’t come back to me and made the film with John Abraham and Arshad Warsi. Then Katrina had refused to work with one director for ‘New York’. Later I came to know he is the same guy who narrated ‘Kabul Express’ to me. That time I told her you would be the biggest fool to not do a film like this. Then she went ahead and got this film done. Then came ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ a little after Vijay Galani's episode (laughs). It was a nice ride in Tiger followed by ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ written by Rajendra Prasad, Rajamouli's father. It is such a beautiful plot that I though why someone else, but I should only produce this one. This film is only because of the script. It is incredible. This journey was OK and hence now if I do another film then you ask me you have done two films with him and how did it happen.
My question actually was that both the films show how friendly both India and Pakistan are. We make films which show bhaichaara and from them it is more of bhaigiri.
In Pakistan there are 550 blasts happening every year. They themselves are hurting each other. And because of both sides hurting each other due to one or two elements why should one mess up with 99.9% people. You go to the army, you get shot and you destroy your family. Why do you want to do that? If you want to do wars then do it with paintball gun! Red color blue color out out out. And if you want to do war then the person who signs the war treaty they should stand in front. If things can be handled peacefully and music, films, cricket, transport are influential medium, then why ban these mediums. Rather ban war. If you want to see war then don't watch this film. If you want to see India bashing Pakistan then don't come and see this film. This is a very positive film just like ‘Ek Tha Tiger’. We have casteism and all... What is all this? My parents got married some 51 years back when all this was at its peak. But then the problem wasn't of Hindu or Muslim. The problem was that my father was in movie business. And we thought the Pathan family is going to object but they agreed in seconds. No one in the industry fights on religion. Why don't people understand or learn from this?
Whenever there is a Salman Khan film up for release, the expectations are sky high. Do you feel pressurized?
No I just feel the work should be appreciated. More than anything the thinking shouldn't go wrong because if that happens then your next projects are also messed up. That is what you have to handle. We assume this will be sure shot hit and that we will have to take police help to control the crowd. And the next day you don't see public and at that point of time you feel what happened? Of course, one hopes the film should do well. No one makes a film to make a flop or with an intention to shut the production house. All want to make ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ or a ‘3 Idiots’ or a ‘Hum Aapke Hai Koun’. The problem occurs when we think the film will be a super hit but it ends up being a flop. Only when the film releases in a theatre is when you will know how well the film has actually done.
We had made ‘Hello Brother’ and at that point we had arranged 60 special screenings. We used to arrange money to make a film so to arrange a trial we used to wonder from where to get money. After 60 trials of the film where people were laughing and falling, at the first premiere show we went thinking that this is going to be super hit. We wanted to see the reaction. And 20 minutes into the film and not one person was laughing. Arbaaz and I looked at each other and thought it’s over. Only people in single screen will enjoy this humour. The film was gone. The same thing which sound funny in preview theatre, here it just didn't work. In 20 minutes we realized the film is over. And the same film on satellite is one of the biggest grossers. ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ people were laughing. Released on Friday, was there in theatre till Sunday. It didn't even wait for Monday. It is supposed to be a cult film. Yeh kausa cult hai? The poor Vinay Sinha wasn't able to make a film after that. After ‘Tere Naam’, they thought ‘Kyon Ki’ will work. I told them to change the climax. Priyadarshan said it is super hit. I told him if he doesn't change the climax then this film is a sure shot disaster. The film released one show in Bangalore and we were watching the film here in Mumbai. He was the first to call me up and say ‘Sir you were right. Next time please don't trust me’ (laughs). So we understand these things in beginning. But the beginning is after the release. So this also we will know how BIG it is or HOW big it is on the 17th!
You earlier said that these two ladies are here to protect you... (Interrupts)
I will say something. You might interpret something else. It can be positive or negative. But the reader feels I have said...
(interrupts) No my question was, that your father once said in an interview that ‘Salman's worst enemy is Salman’. Do you agree to that?
One day I was going through my journey of having fun. I met Arbaaz while he was coming down from Galaxy. He said I forgot to tell you one thing. 'Agar Gabbar ki koi maar sakta hai toh Wo hai khud Gabbar'. He said God doesn't want, Fans don't want to, we don't want to. I remember Dad was giving me slight pin. I told Arbaaz and started laughing. When I came down, there were three missed calls. One was Rajkumar Santoshi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and at that point of time ‘Tere Naam’ came. So whenever something like this happens, use this technique (rubs his hands on face), do this with all your heart. From which ‘Sawariya’ didn't do too well, Rajkumar Santoshi didn't happen and ‘Tere Naam’ I refused initially. Then Bubby Kent (producer of 'Shaadi Karke Phase Gaya Yaar') came one day and said that he needed me to finish off one temple sequence from 'Shaadi Karke Phase Gaya Yaar'. I told him we can do day after since I was too tired. He insisted me to do the next day. So I told him come at 6 in the morning. He left and I shaved my hair off. He was waiting for me. I came out. He saw me and said it is better we cancel the shooting. I said when I told the same thing to you yesterday you didn't agree. I wouldn't have done this. But that's when I said yes to ‘Tere Naam’. To answer your question, no, I am not my biggest enemy. But if my father has told then probably it is right.
You bring back the essence of ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’, ‘Hum Aapke Hai Koun’ with your next film ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’.
It was very difficult for me to do ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo’ as I had moved on to doing comedy, drama, and action films. But I just had to look at Sooraj, follow his instructions and the Prem (his character) in me came back.
You will be playing a boxer in Sultan. What kind of preparation are you doing for it?
I have to put on 10 kilos and a lot of muscle. We start shooting in November.
Is it difficult to put on and lose weight at your age?
What age? I am just 27 (laughs).
Karan Johar recently said that Bollywood focuses more on stars than content.
Who is Karan Johar? Is he the spokesperson for the industry? Actors get stardom because of the audience. They become huge because the audience and fans can connect with them. My stardom has soared in the last five years but I've taken a good 20 years to get this reception. When Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Aamir Khan and I entered the industry, we looked like boys. Actors who came before us looked like men. If we had done action films, people would have said, he is trying to be like Amitabh Bachchan. At that time we couldn't play inspectors, lawyers and local dons so we started off as romantic heroes and graduated to doing comedy and action films.
Lastly, what's happening with ‘Kick 2’, ‘Bodyguard 2’ and ‘Dabangg 3’?
I don't know about Bodyguard 2 but I am working with Atul Agnihotri (his brother-in-law and producer) in his next film. ‘Dabangg 3’ will happen in some time. I am working with Sajid Nadiadwala (director of Kick) but I don't think it is ‘Kick 2’.
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