When Salman Khan said if Maine Pyar Kiya had been his debut film, it would have flopped: ‘No Rajshri hero has ever become a star’
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has appeared in over 120 films in his three-decade long cinematic career. However, it is fascinating to reflect on the time when Salman landed his first role in a film because a director was very frustrated and decided to cast the next person that walked in.
In an interview with Rediff.com, Salman had opened up about how he landed his first film Biwi Ho To Aisi. He said, “JK Bihari had approached a lot of actors but they all refused it. I remember he had his office in a garage. A couple of actors had met him but things couldn’t be finalised. Out of frustration, he said, ‘Ab koi bhi next idiot ayega, main usko sign kar dunga (I will sign up the next idiot who walks in).'”
The actor then revealed that after doing Biwi Ho To Aisi, he felt like it was his first and last film. Salman said that he called Sooraj Barjatya and told him not to cast him in Maine Pyar Kiya because the latter’s father Tarachand Barjatya was spending a lot of money on it. Sooraj then watched Biwi Ho To Aisi at the screening and told Salman that the film was like a screen test and he was confident of casting him in Maine Pyar Kiya.
Salman Khan, who frequently refers to Sooraj Barjatya as his ‘best director’, previously stated that if Maine Pyar Kiya had been his debut film, it would have flopped because no Rajshri (Barjatya’s production house) hero had ever become a star.
Salman said, “I was really lucky because Maine Pyar Kiya did really well. No Rajshri hero has ever become a star apart from me. If Maine Pyar Kiya was my first film, perhaps I would also have failed.” The iconic Maine Pyar Kiya was released in 1989 and also starred Bhagyashree in the lead role.
The actor also revealed his family’s reaction to his first two movies. He said, “I had taken them to see the film (Biwi Ho To Aisi) and halfway through, they were all dozing off. Later, I took them to watch the first cut of Maine Pyar Kiya and they were sleeping in that film also.”
Salman Khan said that his plan was to do movies and earn Rs 10 lakh and get back to writing and modeling. But he said that since Aamir Khan, a Bandra boy had become a star, ‘it was a big boj on his chaati’. The actor said, “I felt if I didn’t do well, I would be screwed. I was like Bandra main toh koi nahi puchega toh Bhayandar main jaake rehna padega (No one will ask for me in Bandra and I’ll have to live in Bhayandar).”
