Whether you love him or not, Salman Khan is undoubtedly the most WANTED man of Bollywood.
A whole lot of people are inspired by your moustache look in Dabangg. What’s the reason behind it?
No particular reason. The men in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are very dabangg or fearless.
Mardanagi ki nishani hoti hai wahan par (it’s a sign of being macho). They have features that carry off the moustache pretty well. They look tougher and braver. Whereas here, everyone wants to be chikna (clean-shaven and fair).No particular reason. The men in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are very dabangg or fearless.
Salman KhanWhy do people see you in a film and want to copy your style?
They see themselves in me. People used to wonder where Dilip Saab (Dilip Kumar) stays, what he eats, how he talks. There was a curiosity about the stars then. Today, there is no curiosity. I’m here right now, I’m on every TV channel. But I’m just a common man and I would never want to be remembered as a star. Everyone has pretty much done everything there is to do, or perhaps more. I am no different. So when I get screwed for that, they turn around and say, Arre isme kya hai! Humne bhi kiya hai yeh (What’s the big deal? I’ve done that too!)
They see themselves in me. People used to wonder where Dilip Saab (Dilip Kumar) stays, what he eats, how he talks. There was a curiosity about the stars then. Today, there is no curiosity. I’m here right now, I’m on every TV channel. But I’m just a common man and I would never want to be remembered as a star. Everyone has pretty much done everything there is to do, or perhaps more. I am no different. So when I get screwed for that, they turn around and say, Arre isme kya hai! Humne bhi kiya hai yeh (What’s the big deal? I’ve done that too!)
Did you always want to be a movie star?
No. I wanted to be a director. I had started meeting people for scripts. One of them, Veer, was destroyed by a dear friend of mine recently. Everywhere I went, they’d tell me to become an actor. They probably wondered what this 18-year-old boy would direct. I had written Baaghi and Veer at that time. Eventually I got chadaoed (flattered enough). So I went to my dad and told him I want to be an actor since that’s what everyone had been telling me. My dad said ‘Everybody comes here – Ramesh Sippy, Manmohan Desai, Mahesh Bhatt. Nobody has said “Salman beta, next film you’re on.” You see Sanjay, Chunky and Sunny in films. You can’t become a mohawalle ka dada (ganglord), lawyer or police inspector. At best, you’ll do a romantic picture or two. So I started working out and he said, ‘Ye lo, Dara Singh bannana chahta hai’ (he wants to be Dara Singh). But these are the things that got me going. When you guys lagao (pick on) me, I say ‘I’ll show them. I’ll go to their office one day.’
No. I wanted to be a director. I had started meeting people for scripts. One of them, Veer, was destroyed by a dear friend of mine recently. Everywhere I went, they’d tell me to become an actor. They probably wondered what this 18-year-old boy would direct. I had written Baaghi and Veer at that time. Eventually I got chadaoed (flattered enough). So I went to my dad and told him I want to be an actor since that’s what everyone had been telling me. My dad said ‘Everybody comes here – Ramesh Sippy, Manmohan Desai, Mahesh Bhatt. Nobody has said “Salman beta, next film you’re on.” You see Sanjay, Chunky and Sunny in films. You can’t become a mohawalle ka dada (ganglord), lawyer or police inspector. At best, you’ll do a romantic picture or two. So I started working out and he said, ‘Ye lo, Dara Singh bannana chahta hai’ (he wants to be Dara Singh). But these are the things that got me going. When you guys lagao (pick on) me, I say ‘I’ll show them. I’ll go to their office one day.’
I once read an interview where you said no one can fault your acting because you don’t act. What does that mean?
I can get caught for anything, but not acting. I’m on screen just the way I am in real life. I’ve never played any characters. When you’re acting, you’re basically taking a character from somewhere. With me, it’s like Jo line aya hai, jaisa bolne ka hai, waise bolo, khatam karo. Aage bhado. (Read the line and move on) I’m not one of those who comes on the set and says ‘Give me half an hour, I want to get into character.’
I can get caught for anything, but not acting. I’m on screen just the way I am in real life. I’ve never played any characters. When you’re acting, you’re basically taking a character from somewhere. With me, it’s like Jo line aya hai, jaisa bolne ka hai, waise bolo, khatam karo. Aage bhado. (Read the line and move on) I’m not one of those who comes on the set and says ‘Give me half an hour, I want to get into character.’
What are the craziest fan moments that you’ve ever had?
Lots of things! I have this scar on my arm and I see guys who come with scars on their arms. It’s ridiculous. It was an accident. These kids do it on purpose. I’m thinking of getting plastic surgery to remove this myself. I also get a lot of people writing to me with their blood. I have stopped replying to those. Then there is the whole Sallu bhai fan club. My name is not Sallu bhai, it’s Salman. I think Jackie (Shroff) was the only one who called me Sallu.
Lots of things! I have this scar on my arm and I see guys who come with scars on their arms. It’s ridiculous. It was an accident. These kids do it on purpose. I’m thinking of getting plastic surgery to remove this myself. I also get a lot of people writing to me with their blood. I have stopped replying to those. Then there is the whole Sallu bhai fan club. My name is not Sallu bhai, it’s Salman. I think Jackie (Shroff) was the only one who called me Sallu.
Did you grow up in Bandra?
Yes. Bandra was full of cottages. There was a green patch right opposite Shah Rukh’s house, where we used to sit as kids. Now we can’t do that any more. Our childhood was spent between Sea Rock Club and that place- cycling, robbing mangoes and even boating on the floods. St Paul’s Road used to get flooded and the fishermen would get their boats out. Now if we boat, they’ll say ‘Kitna heartless aadmi hai’ (what a heartless man)
Yes. Bandra was full of cottages. There was a green patch right opposite Shah Rukh’s house, where we used to sit as kids. Now we can’t do that any more. Our childhood was spent between Sea Rock Club and that place- cycling, robbing mangoes and even boating on the floods. St Paul’s Road used to get flooded and the fishermen would get their boats out. Now if we boat, they’ll say ‘Kitna heartless aadmi hai’ (what a heartless man)
Why did you make that choice to act with Rekha and Farooq Sheikh?
Arre, I had no choice. It was the first film I got. And I thought it was the best film ever. There was Rekhaji, Farooq Sheikh, Kader Khan. That combination of Kader Khan – Shakti Kapoor was working well in movies at that point of time. And I was playing the young romantic lead with Renu Arya. I met her on a flight recently and I didn’t recognise her. Same thing with Bhagyashree when I met her in Filmistan Sudio. I haven’t met them in 22 years. Ajay Devgn and I were sitting down and this girl walks up to me in heels and says, ‘Hi Salman.’ I say ‘Hey.’ She asks, ‘What’s up?’ and I reply ‘All good. You ok?’ Then she says, ‘A******, you don’t recognise me? I said, ‘Bhagyashree! I’m so sorry! Don’t blame me, apna chehra bhool jaoonga main kabhi! (I’ll forget my own face one day).
Arre, I had no choice. It was the first film I got. And I thought it was the best film ever. There was Rekhaji, Farooq Sheikh, Kader Khan. That combination of Kader Khan – Shakti Kapoor was working well in movies at that point of time. And I was playing the young romantic lead with Renu Arya. I met her on a flight recently and I didn’t recognise her. Same thing with Bhagyashree when I met her in Filmistan Sudio. I haven’t met them in 22 years. Ajay Devgn and I were sitting down and this girl walks up to me in heels and says, ‘Hi Salman.’ I say ‘Hey.’ She asks, ‘What’s up?’ and I reply ‘All good. You ok?’ Then she says, ‘A******, you don’t recognise me? I said, ‘Bhagyashree! I’m so sorry! Don’t blame me, apna chehra bhool jaoonga main kabhi! (I’ll forget my own face one day).
‘I’ve only seen Andaz Apna Apna once while dubbing for it’
How many times have you seen Andaz Apna Apna?
I only saw it when I was dubbing for it and then a little bit on TV, about five or six years ago. It was really funny because Katrina (Kaif) was watching a film and she called me, saying ‘Come here and see this guy. There’s this new kid who wants to be you. Just look at him. Poor thing he’ll never make it.’ She was watching Maine Pyar Kiya.
How many times have you seen Andaz Apna Apna?
I only saw it when I was dubbing for it and then a little bit on TV, about five or six years ago. It was really funny because Katrina (Kaif) was watching a film and she called me, saying ‘Come here and see this guy. There’s this new kid who wants to be you. Just look at him. Poor thing he’ll never make it.’ She was watching Maine Pyar Kiya.
No comments:
Post a Comment