Salman parties all night long with his Dabangg team

On Sunday evening, Sonakshi Sinha showed up for the Dabangg party post-midnight with one of her twin bothers, while earlier in the evening Sonakshi's mother Punam Sinha was escorted by her other twin brother.

Confused by the identical twins' double entry into the venue of the party, Salman insisted on calling each of the Sinha twins 'Luv-Kush'.

Says an onlooker, "Salman earlier saw one of the twins walk in with Mrs. Sinha (for the record it was Luv Sinha who escorted his mom). Then much later after midnight, long after Mrs. Sinha had left with her son, Sonakshi walked in with another twin (Kush Sinha). So Salman played it safe and referred to them separately as 'Luv-Kush'.

Says a source close to Dabangg, "Whenever Salman sees either of Sonakshi's brothers, he calls him 'Luv-Kush' just to be on the safe side. Though the two of them are dissimilar in many ways, Salman is constantly confused about which Sinha twin is who. So no matter which twin he sees he calls him by both names."

From Sunday evening, Salman Khan and his Dabangg gang partied until 7 am on Monday morning.

At the Vie lounge in Juhu, Salman and the Dabangg team couldn't stop dancing to the 'Munni' track with each and every guest .Among the non-Dabangg gang who dropped in, there was Aamir Khan, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and David Dhawan.

At around 2 am when the party was over at Vie, Salman suggested they all go to his home in Bandra to continue the party.

Says Sonu Sood, "It was basically Salman's non-film friends and just some of us from the Dabangg team...Sonakshi, me and a few others who accompanied Salman home. We stayed there until around 4 am. After that Salman took us to a builder-friend's house. We finally wrapped up at 7 am."

In fact the party started on Sunday afternoon when Ramesh Taurani had thrown a brunch party for his wife's brother's wedding.

Says Sonu, "I'm not much of a party-goer. And I don't drink at all. But I must say the Dabangg party and especially the after-party at Salman's place made me feel very special. Salman has taken me under his wings. He says I should watch my steps and I'll be doing well for myself in a year. That evening he also presented me a Being Human watch."

At Salman's home more plans were made for Dabangg 2.

Says Sood, "I suggested my twin brother's character should be called Safedi Singh with the line, 'Safedi ki chamatkar door-door tak phaili hai'. Salman loved it. Our director Abhinav Kashyap has already started writing the sequel."

Salman's 'Kick' for 75 crore

Last Friday's blockbuster has certainly changed equations in the industry. Sajid Nadiadwala, who is producing Kick starring Salman and Sonakshi Sinha, has quoted for a gobsmacking Rs 75 crore to Eros if they wish to acquire the film.
Salman's latest hit Dabangg churned out huge profits for Eros, but at Rs 75 crore for his next, Eros is asking for some extra time to ponder over this.
A source reveals, "After the super-hit Dabangg, Salman and Sonakshi have become the hottest pair in town. Producer Sajid Nadiadwala, who is casting the duo in his next production, Kick, has quoted a huge amount for the film. Eros is very close to Salman and Sajid and have done Salman's last two films, Veer and Dabangg.
Although Dabangg made big bucks for Eros, Veer was a major dud and the company suffered major losses.
Now, when Kick came on the table for discussion, Nadiadwala quoted a price of Rs 75 crore after considering Salman's market value post-release of Dabangg. Eros has found the amount too huge, but is still working out the logistics."
When contacted, an Eros spokesperson said, "We share a very good relationship with Sajid and he has not discussed any amount with us." Sajid Nadiadwala also said, "I haven't spoken to them as yet.
We yet have to lock the script and work on our budget."
But a source close to Eros said that Nadiadwala had indeed demanded Rs 75 crore for Kick. "It is too early to quote a price of Rs 75 crore for Kick now.
The movie will release in the middle of next year or on Eid. One cannot judge from now what will be the market situation then. Salman has been very close to Eros, and one is still considering the amount," said the source.

Sallu, Govinda team up for Partner

After much turmoil, David Dhawan's Partner 2 is back on track. You heard it. Salman Khan and Govinda will play the leads.

David Dhawan will direct the film and Sohail Khan will produce it. And the most interesting bit is that this news coincides with the huge box-office success of Dabangg.

Partner 2 was supposed to go on floors over a year ago but after Salman Khan's relationship with both Govinda and David Dhawan reportedly went sour, the project was as good as shelved. It is only now that things are beginning to look up.

Not too long ago, it was reported that Salman had developed serious issues with both Govinda and Dhawan. Govinda was miffed that Salman had not lived up to his promise of helping him launch his daughter Narmada. Instead, Salman had gotten busy shooting for Dabangg and was concentrating on promoting Sonakshi Sinha (Mumbai Mirror, August 20)

The revival of Partner 2 clearly implies that Salman has patched up with both Dhawan and Govinda. Does this mean that Narmada will soon make her first Bollywood splash now? We'll wait and watch.

The Salman-Dhawan fallout was widely reported in November 2009. It mentioned that Salman, who was once at the helm of his career because of hits with Dhawan like Coolie No. 1, no longer wanted the director to make Sajid Nadiadwala's film, Sanki.

This was apparently because he was upset with Dhawan for not giving much attention to Partner 2 and instead working on Hook Ya Crook.

But that's an old story now. Hook Ya Crook is stuck in its final stages. And more importantly, Sallu is on a new high with Dabangg having hit a jackpot at the box office. So, the resurrection of Partner 2 is obviously timed superbly well for Salman.

Confirming the story, a source close to Partner 2 says, "Sanjay Chhel is writing this film. I will mount the sets next year."

But what remains to be seen is whether Katrina, who played the female lead in Partner, is re-cast in Partner 2.

When asked about the fallout with Salman, Dhawan told Mumbai Mirror yesterday evening, "Oh, that is all bakwaas. I have just come out from Salman's house. Right now, Salman will be working on Bigg Boss 4. Then, he has Bodyguard. And only after that Partner 2 will start, sometime next year. And yes, Salman and Govinda are both doing the film. The rest of the cast is yet not decided."

What's decided though is that friends who had once turned foe are back together.

Sajid-Wajid: Let’s not forget them

If anyone who deserves credit for the success of Dabangg, after Salman and Abhinav Kashyap, they are writer Dilp Shukla and music dirctors Sajid and Wajid. I have realy liked the duo’s work in all the Salman movies. They are kind of underated. But it is upto them to prove themselves in a variety of films. ( Like Uttam Singh couldn’t do much after DTPH, and Ishmail Darbar failed to shine outside Bhansali’s films.) But for now, I must admit I enjoyed every song of Dabang and thought each one was perfect for the film.

Here is their Screen interview :

Sajid-Wajid are riding high. Dabangg’s score as a whole and Tere mast mast do nain have their own identity and charisma even outside the film. So what has changed in their lives and work after this triumph? And what remains constant?

The music room is filled with the aroma of freshly-cooked breakfast and tea, and Wajid sits on the floor, his harmonium in front of him, highlighting the nuances of his work through a live rendition of their songs from Dabangg and earlier films. Elder brother Sajid is indulgently proud about his brother’s vocal expertise, signifying a healthy ego-free base for a duo’s personal and professional relationship.

After a short while, Sajid excuses himself as some urgent work has come up, but as it is rare to find a musical duo with such perfect resonance, we quote them as one entity.

The euphoria of Dabangg is on. Your take on it as composers, please.

We feel very happy and very good about it. There is a right time for everything, and this time we have hit the bull’s-eye. Our music is being praised along with the film and on its own. There’s nothing bigger than both a film and its music becoming hits. If the film is being compared to 3 Idiots in the way people have welcomed it, there must be something about it, and about our songs too.

What do you have to say about the relationship between a film and its music?
There is a very intimate bond. If a film runs, so does the music. Good music, like what we composed for Main Aur Mrs Khanna and Veer, goes unnoticed or relatively unsung if a film does not do well. On the other hand, the songs of Dabangg, including Lalit Pandit’s only song, were super-duper hits even before the film released. Hit songs help a film too. This time, there is all-round taarif. People came to see their favourite star and loved him. But when they found that their favourite star was enacting their favourite songs, it was like sone pe suhagaa. A hit song makes a star shine, but a star also adds to a song’s popularity.

Were you comfortable with the single song that came in from Lalit Pandit, especially since you guys took nine years to get a solo film – Partner in 2007 – with Salman Khan
, your mentor?
Arbaaz Khan, who has produced Dabangg, had told us that he would be taking one song from Lalit because he wanted it, so it was fine.

Salman’s newest assignments, T-Series’ Ready and Atul Agnihotri’s next, both have music by Pritam, who has never worked earlier for Salman. Is there any significance?
(With a laugh) Why shouldn’t Salmanbhai work outside? By the way, we have signed a film with Venus and Priyadarshan, so if Pritam is coming into our territory, we too are going into his!

(Laughs again) We have had a very consistent record with Salmanbhai right from Hello Brother in 1999 till today. Even in Tere Naam, in which we had just two songs, our Lagan lagi has outlasted most songs by the other composer. Our songs in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Partner and Wanted succeeded big time even before those films released. The music of Hello was appreciated and the song on Salmanbhai was a huge hit. Main Aur Mrs Khanna and Veer got us critical acclaim and appreciation from the industry. Show us one composer in recent times with such a track- record with him. Or with any other superstar.

But despite all these, your career has not really gone the way it should have. Why?
Maybe we are not too aggressive, and maybe we did not approach film producers or directors the right way. Agar koi hamein chahega to hamein bulayega, and we will work with him without hesitation. Yes, a big banner is important to take the song to the widest audience, but our work and range is there for all to see.

Your non-Salman films have barely got attention, despite good work in Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai, Sharaarat and Chori Chori.
True, the films did not do too well. On the other hand, our work in Kal Kissne Dekha was noticed even when the movie bombed. Our very first film, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, saw us get so much respect for the qawwali, Teri jawani badi mast mast hai, the only song composed by us. We were brought in to do the rescue act in Welcome, in which our title-song was the only one that proved a hit and in Heroes, with the song Mannata. All this is apart from our many hit albums, led by T-Series’ record-smashing hit Deewana with Sonu Niigaam.

Could there be a misconception that you do big films only with Salman Khan?
That is a possibility. There is this megastar who told us once, “You are the guys who work with Salman!” as if that was something so completely exclusive. On the other hand, there are at least two big-name filmmakers who tell us how much they love our music and shy away when we talk about working with them! Maybe such groupism is affecting us, but if there were shortcomings in our work, we could understand.

Maybe a hit romantic film can change things.
Maybe. When we worked with (Anand) Bakshisaab in Chori Chori, he had sized up our range — we even began work on a Mukesh Bhatt film that was shelved and one song was later used in his Gunaah. Bakshisaab was very fond of us and would say, “Puttar, let’s do a romantic film together!” He even praised us to other composers.

Again, you have not done too many films with the big-name writers.
True. Besides Bakshisaab we have worked with Gulzarsaab and Sameerji. Now we are doing Tanveer Khan’s new film with Javed Akhtarsaab. We are open to everyone, but we are also very comfortable with Jaleesbhai, who is like our elder brother and is so talented. We also have a special place in our hearts for people who stood by us like rocks in our lean phase, and Jaleesbhai and Salman Khan’s family stood solidly by us when we were down and even had to do B-grade films like AK-47 and Mashooka for our bread and butter.

Coming back to Dabangg, you have worked once again with Faaiz Anwar, with whom you had done most of your earliest work.
Faaiz is an old associate and we never had issues with him. He wrote a song perfect for the mood in Tere mast mast do nain.

We would like to know something about how you make your music.
We prefer making the tunes first. The important thing is that the melody should come out dil se, not with calculation or design. Today is the era of phrases strung up and posing as songs! We read the Screen interview of Lalit Pandit and completely agree that Indian melody flows fluidly.

Also, even in our lowest phase or even right at the beginning of our careers, we have never shied away from classical touches to our songs — the harkatein and the murqiyaan. We never pandered to baser trends, but always tried for soulfulness in our songs. The foremost thing we keep in mind is our lineage — our grandfather Padma Shri Ustad Abdul Latif Khan downwards — and that we should do nothing jinse unnka sar jhuk jaaye. Our father, Ustad Sharafat Khan, told us, “Make your foundation so strong that your rival should think 10 times even about wanting to shake it.”

The music of Dabangg is undoubtedly the most successful score of the year so far. Can you elaborate on the score’s creation?
Jaleesbhai and we were very particular that no Punjabi word should come in as the film is set in the Hindi belt. We also were particular about the casting of our songs. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan puts his stamp on all his other songs — it is only when he sang for us in Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Veer and Dabangg that you see the stamp of the composer first! For Tere mast mast, we chose the to-and-fro lyrics pattern we had used earlier in Ab mujhe raat din in the album Deewana. In Saanchi saanchi teri nazrein we could not think of anyone other than Sonu Niigaam and Shreya Ghoshal, aur dono ne gaane pe apni jaan daal di. We got Sukhwinder to sing low in Hud hud dabangg, and yet the song had to reflect the aggressive and fearless persona of Chulbul Pandey, who stood up for his convictions and had rare inner strength. Jaleesbhai’s lyrics were fabulous.

As mentors on Zee Sa Re Ga Ma’s Singing Superstars, what is your approach?
We feel that it is very vital to give contestants the right direction. As our father says, “Ek guru ek kalaakaar ko apne aap se bhent karaa detaa hai” — a guru introduces his protege to himself, making him aware who he really is and what he wants out of himself. Our colleagues and we have ensured that the show has only positivity and no gimmicks.

How upset did you get when the soundtracks of Veer and Main Aur Mrs Khanna did not get their dues?
Frankly, we were not disturbed, because we are ecstatic that we got these opportunities to show what we could do! Veer, in particular, showed that there was even more to us than our gharana! In this era in which people are not realising the difference between a composition and a jingle, our only regret is that such opportunities do not come more often.

In the era of jingles as you call it, do you see any depth in anyone else?
Vishal Bhardwaj’s songs reflect a lot of depth.

I am happy for Salman: Aamir

"Dabangg" should make 10 times more money than " 3 Idiots", a gracious Aamir Khan said at a party thrown by his friend Salman Khan to celebrate the success of the cop comedy.

"I am very happy that Salman's 'Dabangg' got such a big success. That's why I have come to give him a hug and congratulate him. I would always pray that his film makes 10 times more than what '3 Idiots' did," Aamir told reporters at the success party of the film held at Vie Lounge Sunday night.

Report says in two week "Dabangg" has made business of Rs.116 crore net and third week has opened well in the single screens. TYhe film revolves around a corrupt cop Chulbul Pande, played by Salman, and his life.

The party was for the cast and crew and close friends, says actor-turned-producer Arbaz Khan, who is basking in the glory of the grand success of his first production venture.

"This is a celebration party for the cast and crew and some of our very close friends," said Arbaz.

Salman made a brief appearance for the media and said, "Thank you so much. I am very happy."

This was Abhinav Kashyap's first film as director and he too is very happy with the sucess. "I am in the seventh heaven," he said.

When Malaika Arora Khan, who too features in the "Munni" song, was asked if she had expected her husband Arbaz's debut production to be a record breaking hit, she said, "No, one can ever predict the fate of the film before hand, but, of course, we pray for its success. The magnitude of response and the collections of the film are overwhelming."

Among the guests were director David Dawan and he said: "This is the biggest hit of Salman. He is outstanding and everyone knows that. After watching the film I was quite sure that it would be a big hit."

Actor Chunky Pandey, singer Sonu Niigaam, director Subhash Ghai and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra too joined Salman for the party.

Salman Top Blockbuster

Ever since their advent in Bollywood, the Khans have pretty much dominated the top slot.While Aamir Khan's credibility and Shah Rukh Khan's clout is undeniable, Salman Khan has emerged as the unpredictable superstar by delivering a whopping, unrivaled box office success at regular intervals.

Even he gets more talked about for his off-screen misadventures; the 44-year-old actor's stock of super-hits has far more aces than he's led us to believe.

At the moment, his recently released Dabangg, a self-styled cop caper is breaking opening-day BO records set by Rajkumar Hirani's all-time blockbuster 3 Idiots on the strength of the muscular star's distinctive charisma alone.

With the Dabangg fever showing no signs of stopping, I make a note of the Top 12 blockbusters of Salman Khan's career.

1- Maine Pyar Kiya, 1989

Salman made his acting debut as a supporting character in J K Bihari's Biwi Ho To Aisi.But before he could drown in a sea of promising non-starters, he was signed on by young filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya to play the uber cool Prem in his rich vs poor romance.

The rest as the cliche goes is history. The movie not just raked in the big bucks and made an overnight heartthrob of him but heavily influenced impressionable future directors like Karan Johar and ilk.

2- Saajan, 1991

In this gorgeous albeit implausible triangle co-starring Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit, Salman channeled his inner playboy to fruitful results.

Sudhakar Bokade's musical romance, with due credit to Nadeem-Shravan's super-catchy score, turned out to be a powerful hit and provided a much-needed boost to everyone's career.

Suddenly there was a barrage of 'Saajan' led titles and 'love triangles' in Bollywood market.

3- Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!, 1994

At a time when audiences felt content watching movies on cable television, Barjatya's Hum Aapke Hain Kaun forced them to visit movie theatres by refusing to become a part of the video circuit, setting a trend in that direction.

Despite minimal promotion and limited screen release, HAHK -- a celebration of Indian weddings and Salman-Madhuri Dixit's combined star power, as we all know, went on to make box office history.

4- Andaz Apna-Apna, 1994

A light and frothy comedy, Salman Khan played this role with élan and poise. His comical timing was excellent and along with Aamir Khan he gave us one of the most enjoyable hits of 1994. The film was a lot of fun to watch and Salman proved his versatility as an actor.

Even today, Andaz Apna Apna remains a favourite Bollywood movie amongst family and friends.

5- Karan Arjun, 1995

Close on the heels of Barjatya's legendary blockbuster followed another. This time in the garb of Rakesh Roshan's gripping reincarnation drama, Karan Arjun.

While Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol tom-tommed their explosive chemistry, Salman gave up his usual lover-boy ways to play a strong, silent type flexing his newly beefed-up physique.

His physicality and SRK's intensity rendered Karan Arjun the vibe of a crisp, action drama, which was whole-heartedly lapped up by the audience.

6- Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1999

Salman's playful antics along with his roaring on-screen magic with co-star Aishwarya Rai proved to be one of the biggest USPs of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's grand musical, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

Apart from bringing the crowds in locally, HDDCS did fabulous business outside India as well establishing the overseas popularity and foothold of its actors.

7- Biwi No 1, 1999

He cries. He lies. He cheats. And still somehow manages to be the hero of the film.In this obvious David Dhawan offering revolving around Karisma Kapur, Salman plays the lovable bad boy with such tickling energy, it's hard to stay unimpressed.

These two, along with its assorted cast of Anil Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Tabu and Saif Ali Khan (in a guest appearance), effortlessly drew in the crowds of Salman fans who were only too happy to declare this a 'Movie no 1.

8- Tere Naam, 2003

The actor's entry into the new millennium wasn't all too memorable.

Shrouded in controversies, this difficult and dry spell finally came to an end with his dramatic portrayal of Radhe Mohan in Satish Kaushik's Tere Naam, a remake of Tamil hit, Sethu.

Promoted as a 'true love story', the over-the-top sentimentality of Tera Naam and its ensuing tragedy struck a chord with Salman loyalists resulting in a tremendous run at the BO.

9- Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, 2004

His engaging banter with Akshay Kumar in David Dhawan's Mujhse Shaadi Karogi turned out to a major attraction as viewers flocked theatres to see the twain in action.

A sizzling Priyanka Chopra and chartbusting soundtrack didn't hurt either.

Too bad their colourful camaraderie fell short of selling enough tickets of Shirish Kunder's Jaan-E-Mann

10- Partner, 2007

What is the upshot of David Dhawan's favourite boys coming together? A money-minting proposition called Partner.

A unabashed rip-off of Hollywood's Hitch, Partner -- regardless of its tacky writing and trite twists -- had Salman and Govinda collaborate to side-splitting results doing what they do best -- play to the gallery.

11- Wanted, 2009

Another remake. Another blockbuster. In Prabhudeva's Hindi reworking of Telugu hit Pokiri, Salman plays a dynamic undercover cop with extraordinary physical strength and brain power.

Like a true blue Bollywood cowboy, he walks the walk, talks the talk and saves the day in his keenly developed, unique style. Akin to the enthusiastic response of Ghajini's raw, graphic action, the Boney Kapoor production, too, went on to make pots of money.

12- Dabangg, 2010

The current favorite and the record breaking, Dabangg, tops the list. Upon release, the film went on to become the highest opening day grosser as well as the highest weekend grosser of all time at the box office, breaking both the previous records held by 3 Idiots. The Dabangg fever refused to seize.

Extra special!

It would be unfair to end this article without a mention of Salman's extended special appearances in films like Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Anees Bazmee's No Entry that turned out to be box office gold in overwhelming numbers.

In fact, his likeable turn as Kajol's considerate fianc in KKHH earned him a Filmfare trophy for Best Supporting Actor whereas his Casanova-inspired gyaan in No Entry rang in wolf-whistles from front-benchers.

I wanted to direct films: Salman Khan

Bollywood’s enfant terrible Salman Khan, who will be seen sporting a moustache Bollywood’s enfant terrible Salman Khan, who will be seen sporting a moustache in Dabangg, talks about making mistakes, bad movies and fending off the mafia

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 verydabangg 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).

In Tere Naam, when you had long hair, pretty much everyone in certain pockets of India also started wearing long hair?
I used to go to Indore for a few months every year until I was 16. That style came from the way I’ve seen my cousins behave. Even this Chilbul Pandey character from Dabangg, has come from people I’ve noticed at shoots. It’s not me, it’s actually the common man who behaves that way. You might say ‘Kaise ho?’ (How are you), and he would reply ‘Tumko kya pharak padta hai?’ (How does it matter to you?) They have a very twisted way of saying things. Even in Tere Naam, the character was based on the kind of a guy you’d react to by saying Hero banta hai? Iske baal katto (You’re trying to be a hero? Let’s cut his hair!) In small town India, herogiri meant having long hair. Even my father was disappointed when I cut my hair after Maine Pyar Kiya. He said, Hero ki ek nishani hoti hai. Lambe baal hote hai uske (You can recognise heroes by their long hair.)

Why 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!)

We’re talking about your influence as a style icon...

But that’s what it is basically. The off-screen image helps the on-screen image develop.

In the mid-thirties, Clark Gable appeared on-screen with his shirt off for the first in It Happened One Night and the undershirt business in America went down. Since you took your shirt off, do you think you’ve lowered the baniyan business in India?
That was accidental. That’s how I’d look at home - bare-chested. If you are alone, you’re gonna be a lot more than that, but you can’t show it on-screen! Especially women (smirks). During Maine Pyar Kiya, I was working out and you can’t work out with a shirt on.

Was there a point when you became a fitness freak?
Most guys would not take their shirt off because they’re shy. Pet dikh raha, sides dikh rahein hai, handleshain (stomach, sides and love handles are exposed) I don’t have that problem yet! And because of me, lots of people don’t have that problem either (laughs).

Was it a conscious decision?

Maine Pyar Kiya was about working out in the house. But it actually became fashionable and everybody started taking their shirts off. Now, some have started showing their butt off, which is too much for me. I’m sure you girls would love to see it, but guys like us don’t want to. It (the bare-chested look) became popular in Oh oh jaane jaana from Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya. I was shooting in Madh Island and in a month’s time, I had put on four and a half kilos of muscle. So the shirt and jacket that I tried on with torn jeans a month before didn’t fit anymore. Now going back to Bandra or Juhu to pick up new clothes would take a whole day. So I told Sohail (Khan) ‘Let’s do it without the shirt.’ Sohail said, ‘Are you mad?’ I said ‘Let’s try it.’ We saw it on the video assist and it looked good, so I said Chalo, kya pharak padta hai?(Let’s do it. How does it matter?) And then every film that I did, they’d say Shirt nikalo, shirt nikalo (take off your shirt). In films where I didn’t do it, they’d say with disappointment Nahin nikala, nahin nikala (He didn’t take it off).

Do distributors or producers expect you to do it in every film?

It depends on what scene I’m doing and if I’m looking amazingly fit. ‘Apne mood pe depend karta hai’ (it depends on my mood) If you want to be healthy and patao girls, you have to be like that because that is the first attraction. After that, you find out what a jerk he is.

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.’

While growing up, were your icons directors?
I didn’t have any. Until five days ago when I saw Expendables. I always liked Sylvester Stallone. But at 67, he’s in ten times better shape than me.

Were you not a movie buff growing up?
Obviously I was. My dad is a film writer. But I never wanted to be an actor. I was very thin, about 48 kilos. I could play sports and learn martial arts, but I didn’t have a screen presence. It took me years to double my weight. Now I’m 78 kilos. But if I go back to the weight I was in Maine Pyar Kiya, people will say ‘Yeh to bimar ho gaya bechara.’ (This poor guy has fallen ill)

Maine Pyar Kiya was in ’89 and you, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan all debuted together. It’s been over 20 years and the Khan trinity still exists. Very few people have managed to break that. Why?

There’s no explanation and that breach will never happen. I’ve never thought about it. Sholay didn’t do well until four weeks after the film released, and then it ran for five years. What is the explanation? They say ‘Wait wait, the movie will pick up by Monday.’ But the picture doesn’t pick up, the prints get picked up. Akshay Kumar also debuted at the same time. Ajay Devgn is still there. It’s just that we have the surname Khan. If Akki’s name was Khan and I was Kumar, it wouldn’t have made a difference right?

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 likeJo 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.’

Is it unnerving for your director to know that you’ll land up anytime and do anything?

They are worried about whether I’ll land up at all. Once I’ve arrived, they know I’ll finish the work faster than anybody else.

What about scripts? What is the one thing you definitely look at before signing a film?
The script; and if I like the narration in the first go. If I say I’ll see it tomorrow, I’m a bit confused about it right now – then it’s not happening. That movie will only happen if a friend is doing it and if I have the dates. If he keeps saying ‘Trust me. Let’s do it. Don’t you want to work with me?’ Then the film will happen. But that stopped some time ago.

Do you regret doing those films?
I don’t. But the most important reason for doing a film is the script. You feel the script is outstanding and positive and there is heroism where you come out either laughing or wiping away tears. For example, if you’ve ever watched Bruce Lee movies, you see the skinniest of guys wanting to start fights. They get thrashed outside Gaiety. I’ve seen that. But that is the spirit of the hero – you want to be like him. That is the character that people follow.

What do you make of this multiplex and single screen audience split?
I think multiplex audiences have money and are more conscious of what people will say if they clap and whistle. That’s it. We are trying to change that in Dabangg, get them off their high horses and make them scream and shout. If a film has a good opening, single screen theatres are a lot more expensive than multiplex theatres, because the black tickets average around Rs 500 a ticket. In that much, you can get three tickets in a multiplex. I want the single screen guys to go the multiplexes and teach them how to have a blast. Now the multiplex guys are going to single screens because they’re bored and wondering where the entertainment is.

In Disco Dancer, Amrish Puri says ‘Creative mind ko destroy karne ke liye, usse dimaagi pareshani deni chahiye. (To destroy a creative mind, you need to trouble it) You’ve had a lot ofdemaagi pareshani in your life – with the car accident and the poaching case. How have you kept yourself away from all that?

The fact is if you’ve done it, you can’t do anything about it. If you haven’t done it, you still can’t do anything about it! Kharab chal raha hai. Jitni jaldi jhel sakte ho, jhelo (Luck is bad. Deal with it, the faster the better). I was advised to run away. Cops in Umedh Bhawan said, Hum sab idhar udhar dekhe rahein hain. Aap bhag jao. (We’re looking away, you run) I said Pagal hai. Salman Khan kahan bhagoonga? (Are you mad? Where will Salman Khan run away to?) Every villager in every village recognises me. If I go out of here, I will walk out with my head held up high.

Do these things bother you?

You mean like flashes come back to me? (Laughs) No, what bothers me is that half the people in jail are the ones whose term is over. Many can’t see or walk. In the monsoon, people get into small fights, just to go to jail. And our jails are in tip-top condition. If your toilet flush isn’t working, you should go to the jail toilets. Agar mahine ke andar kabz na ho jayein, to mera naam change kar dena (if you don’t get diarrhea in a month, change my name).

There was a time when movies were almost paid for from the underworld. Were you ever paid at any of those times?

There was no money earlier, leave aside black or white. Most of us used to sign a movie for Rs 5 lakhs and this one man used to come home and say, ‘Sethji, that man doens’t have money. Give him a discount. And it happened to me for the longest time! My price would go up to Rs 25 lakhs, and he’s make me forgo Rs 10 lakhs. If it were Rs 30 lakhs, he’d discount Rs 15 lakhs. One day when he came, I asked my dad who he was. He said, pata nahin beta! (I don’t know son).

So this one time, I asked him, Aap price badhane aye ho? (You’re raising my share?) Have you ever pleaded my case or told me that you’ll increase my price. Every producer is making money, why are you doing this to me? Next time you come to this house, I’ll take it for granted that you’ve increased my price by Rs 25 lakhs. After that day, he didn’t come back again. You know who that guy was? It was Hari Sugandh. After that, I made Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam with him and it was all good. I earned all my money for that movie.

But did you fear the mafia at that point?

No. They kept me out of this. They never bothered me because I did say no. They thought I was kind of erratic.

That’s what people think about you generally right?

No, not erratic. If you ask nicely, I’ll listen to you. But if I feel there is any kind of threat or pressure, then there is no chance. It was a big threat and people have been shot in the film industry. Lots of people were targeted, especially producers, like Mr Rakesh Roshan. Not that one didn’t get calls, but there is a way of handling these things. You talk to me with respect, I’ll talk back with respect. You threaten me, I’ll threaten you back.

Talking about your erratic nature....
There is nothing erratic about my nature. I would react the same way as you. It’s just that people in limelight would not react that way. They would go back home and plan their reaction. That’s more dangerous. I forgive and forget very easily.

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.

Do you think about this kind of stardom, of people losing themselves in it?
I never think about this, because your ears get used to it. And when you don’t see that anymore, you start imagining it. Sometimes, they’re screaming for somebody behind you. Then frustration builds up and you become a disgusting human being.

You have a younger sister. Do you think she finds it difficult to date, with you, as a brother?

Are you mad? She (Arpita Khan) is not scared of anybody. The boyfriend is also not scared. That used to happen with Baby (Alvira). When we were teens, we’d say Maar dalenge, cheer dalenge (we’ll kill and shred them). Then by 20-21, we started wondering what was wrong. Koi toh shaadi karo (Someone marry her). Baby’s boyfriend was Atul (Agnihotri) and she got

married to him. Poor guy!

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)

'I prayed for Biwi Ho Toh Aisi not to do well, but it ran for 100 days’
A lot of people don’t know that Maine Pyar Kiya was not your first film and that it was Biwi Ho Toh Aisi Ho?
A lot of people know that in fact and I prayed for that film not to do well. But it did 100 days, so just imagine how God doesn’t listen to me.

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).

‘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.