Today, Salman Khan and Sooraj Barjatya may be the best of friends and probably the most successful director-actor Jodi in Bollywood, but not many are aware that 28 years back when Sooraj was planning to make his first film Main Pyaar Kiya, he didn't have Salman in mind. Not just that but Khan was not even considered for the film's lead role.
In an interview with us, Salman spilled the beans about how he bagged his first film with Rajshri and why Biwi Ho Toh Aisi incidentally became his debut film.
While reports suggest that Sooraj Barjatya had approached Salman Khan for Maine Pyaar Kiya, truth be told, it was the other way round. Khan, a starry eyed 19-year old boy, struggling to get work, had tried his luck to get cast in the 1989 released family film.
Reveals Salman, "I had approached Sooraj babu for MPK. In fact three different lot of people recommended my name for the film. A lady called Shabana, who had worked with me in an ad shoot, at that time, was doing Bhagyashree's look test for an ad and she asked her who is there in the film. Deepak Tijori and Kunal Goswami were tentatively finalized. That is when Shabina suggested my name. Apart from that, dad's assistant writer and Honey uncle had also recommended my name. Then there was one more writer who narrated me a script (which was a horrible one), told Rajiv, who wrote MPK, that there is new guy, he is Salim Khan's son. So after being recommended by three set of people, I was called by Rajshri guys."
With so many people recommending him and also the fact that he was Salim Khan's son, it would have made his selection easier. Salman denies it and continues, "Not at all. Sooraj narrated me the script while I was sitting in one position for almost three hours listening to his story. Contrary to things which were said about Rajshri, this one didn't have me to wear a dhoti and instead I had to wear a jacket. During the narration, first time I wasn't seeing a Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Sunny Deol or Kumar Gaurav in the movie. I could place myself there. But then 3 hours in the same position, I was restless to change my posture. I couldn't do it because had I done that Sooraj babu's attention would have got diverted. I refrained myself from doing it.
Please continue we nod, and he adds, "During the script reading session, there came a point where we reached the portion when Kabootar Ja Ja song came. Sooraj had tears in his eyes, I had slight, and that is when I just rubbed my face, changed my posture and applauded Sooraj (laughs)! Then I told myself to not let this go. It was such a damn good script. As soon as the narration got over, I got up and told Sooraj it is SUPERB. We will make a BIG film together."
And that is how you bagged the film?
"No! When I said that, Sooraj told me 'Salman I haven't signed you! I just narrated the script'. I was shocked when he told me this. I asked him then whom has he selected and Sooraj told me Kunal (Goswami) and Deepak Tijori. When he said that, I felt bad but then I told him, do try few of my friends too. I suggested few names. Hearing that, Sooraj was shocked and asked me 'What have you come here for'? I said for this but then you have already selected so then at least try my friends as well. Sooraj then asked me 'Why would you recommend your friends’ name?' and I was like it is a damn good subject and if I don't get let my friends get it, at least."
Fifteen minutes into the conversation and I was enjoying this story that Salman had to share. I ask him further, what happened next?
"I saw the picture coming my way and then before I could get, it slipped out of my hand. I told Honey uncle it is a nice subject but other heroes are doing it. I went back to my struggle. There was a garage where K.C. Bokadia's one producer Suresh Bhagat was sitting a casting for a film. Apparently everyone had refused to do that movie. And that is when I walked into that garage. They asked me this is the role. Will you do this film? I said yes and they got me sign the papers. I was like I got rejected there and here I am signing my film. Strange! He gave me a VHS and I saw it. Film was damn good but my role was f**k all. Now J.K. Bihari, told me a year ago, why he signed me in Biwi Ho Toh Aisi. He said, 'Yaar all had refused so I had decided the next chu***a who enters will sign my film'! (Laughs) I asked him 'So I was the high speed chu***a who entered your garage and hence you signed me?' (Laughs) and he said YES!"
And he still hadn't revealed how MPK happened to him. While we would assume he was downright tired of giving interviews, Salman continues in same zest, "So I signed Biwi Ho Toh Aisi and in the meantime had also given test for MPK - that Babuji paise le lo scene. I had taken Farah Khan (choreographer) for the auditions. Farah and I used to be friends. She was a dancer, a bad dancer, and she is still the same. I thought they will make me dance and hence took her along. She asked me what they will make me do and I was like 'I don't know'. At that time she used to have Chow Mow as her assistants and hence I asked her to get them along. I wanted to learn front somersault. She was like 'Pagal ho gaya hai? Kab seekhna hai?' I said I have 30 minutes to learn. If they ask me to show something then at least I can show them this.”
He goes on, “Chow Mow came and taught me the technique and I surprisingly learnt it in 30 minutes. I got the 4th one right. Then we went there for the audition. They played some song and I started dancing like Jackie Shroff. Farah was telling me to do it properly. She told me to do it again else I would lose the movie. I didn't improve and she started looking at Sooraj with an expression that isko mat lo! She bloody changed the party. She came with me and sympathized with Sooraj. I was looking at the connection and I am like 'Farah what are you doing?'. Anyway, Farah couldn't extract anything out of me and she left me and ran away saying Sooraj isko mat le!"
"Then he made me play guitar. Sooraj showed this to Charu and Chanda - his sisters. They liked me and insisted I be cast in MPK. But by that time I was doing my epic Biwi Ho Toh... Satish Bhalla came and asked me what I was doing. I told him about the movie and he asked 'What is that'. He said doesn't matter we will come first. I retorted 'Arre they finished it'. Then he was like 'Oh but we need a new boy...' and I was like the film has again gone! The whole month was like that," admits Salman.
With so many twists and turns happening in his first film with Rajshri, one wonders how he actually bagged the film. Never would have one expected such an interesting story behind a film which made him a household name.
"Satish discussed with Sooraj and came back later saying it doesn't matter. He said 'Salman you are damn good in our test'. I said damn good? Can I see? He said yes... when I saw I was like 'F**K! I am dancing like Jackie Shroff'. Then Biwi Ho Toh Aisi got completed and they saw the rushes. An assistant called Jay was all praises for my work. He said I was looking like ekdum Amitabh Bachchan! (hits his hand on the forehead) I knew at that point anyone who was compared to Amitabh Bachchan was destroyed. I didn't have that personality also. I was a college student and he was THE Amitabh Bachchan! All that happened, I called up Sooraj babu and told him 'I just saw Biwi Ho Toh Aisi and you should look for another hero. I would be a complete waste. I will ask them to show you the film too. As it is I am interested in direction so I will come and assist you in the movie.' He asked me what is wrong, I said 'I S**K at acting. I don't have it in me!"
You actually said that?
He smiles and retorts, "Yes. And the next day Sooraj came to see the film. He saw the movie and said this will do very well and this is my biggest fear. Many people will see you and after that people will see MPK and not enter the theatre. He asked me one thing why my eyes were looking so big and I told him that I can make them look small. He said 'if you can do that, then perfect. Let's start work'. Just imagine a 19-year old boy had the maturity and spunk to cast another 19 year old boy in a film, at a point when Rajshri was down and out and their highest budget film was 40 lakhs, whereas MPK cost them 1 crores 20 lakhs. So just imagine what Sooraj must have done with PRDP."
"And by the way, every Rajshri hero has never worked. If you go by that, Biwi Ho Toh Aisi was my first film and that way Maine Pyaar Kiya becomes my 2nd film and probably that's why it worked," concludes Salman!
Phew... Now this one is surely an interesting bit of story we weren't aware of. Were you?
