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INTERVIEW: Salman Khan opens up on Antim, Tiger 3, Sooraj Barjatya’s next & more: ‘Comedy film is coming soon'
Salman Khan also informs that he will be producing three to four films under his banner, SKF next year and one of those is titled Bakre Ki Eid. The superstar also opens up about possibility of a Rajveer Singh spin off. Read interview!
On a Sunday evening, Salman Khan walks into Mehboob Studios to promote his recently released gangster drama, Antim: The Final Truth. The superstar is in a jovial mood, content with the response from the audience. However, after shooting the film for a few days in 2020, he was a little skeptical about his character, Rajveer Singh.
“I had this character in my mind and knew exactly how I wanted to play it, but while shooting it, I got a little scared because the cop wasn’t doing anything,” he insists, adding further, “But then I got the confidence. Aayush is playing a powerful character and if I do the same thing, the impact of his character gets diluted. So mine is a chilled out guy, who knows his power. He gets humiliated but at the same time knows how to humiliate others. And all this happens with a smile on his face.”
We have thought of that. We already have a backstory for Rajveer Singh (Prequel) and there is a chance of a sequel too
Salman Khan
Salman had his inputs to amp the impact of his Sikh cop. Was he careful to not go over the board? “Careful is for people who don’t respect. We respect everyone, so we need to glorify the ones we respect. And that’s what I have done in all my films,” he answers. Ask him how important it is for an actor to have input in the scripts and he keeps it short by saying, “That differs from actor to actor.” Rajveer’s track has been appreciated by the audience and critics alike. Would a spin off to this Sikh cop be a good idea? “We have thought of that. We already have a backstory for Rajveer Singh (Prequel) and there is a chance of a sequel too,” he smiles.
Rajveer was the newest entrant in Salman’s own cop universe, making it a galaxy of seven. In the past, he has played a cop in Patthar Ke Phool, Auzaar, Garv, Wanted, Dabangg and Radhe. “My character becomes a cop towards the end of Kick too,” he laughs. But which one is his favourite? “All my cops are different and I can’t compare. In-fact, I have never seen my favorite cop, his name is Abdul Rashid, my grandfather. He passed away when my dad was 9. He was a DIG in Indore.” Rajveer aside, Aayush Sharma too has been appreciated for his portrayal of Rahul in the film. Salman informs that his counterpart has worked very hard for the film. “The intention was that Aayush should be appreciated and he has been appreciated a lot,” he says.
All my cops are different and I can’t compare. In-fact, I have never seen my favorite cop, his name is Abdul Rashid, my grandfather. He passed away when my dad was 9. He was a DIG in Indore
Salman Khan
Antim is among the rarest of the rare films where Salman doesn’t have a romantic interest. The actor explains that it was a conscious decision as Rajveer’s character would have gone off track with romance and songs. For him, it’s a film in real space. “Be it Dabangg or Sholay – they are all real films if you take out the song and action. Dabangg is a small realistic film but we took it to the next level with songs and action scenes. In Antim too, we have enhanced the action scenes since people are used to seeing a certain level of action, but in the real space,” Salman exults.
In the last 5 years, one has seen Salman do back-to-back action films and there is a large section of the audience who wishes to see him back in the family genre as Prem. Interestingly, three of his biggest openers at the box-office fall in the non-action space. When pointed out on this trivia, Khan smiles to reply, “Yes, Sooraj’s (Barjatya) film will come soon. No one can make the kind of films that Sooraj does and he will get a script for me soon. That film will happen once Sooraj comes to me.”
While interacting with Salman during Radhe, he was quizzed about making a return to the comedy genre. The actor had informed that he was on a hunt for a good script that takes comedy to the next level. According to our sources, that hunt has finally come to an end. Prod Salman for an update and he exclaims, “Yes, that hunt (for comedy) has come to an end. A comedy film is coming soon… Bahut Jald hogi ek comedy film (You will know it soon).”
Yes, Sooraj’s (Barjatya) film will come soon. No one can make the kind of films that Sooraj does...Yes, that hunt (for comedy) has come to an end. A comedy film is coming soon
Salman Khan
Salman doesn’t shy away from sharing a brief update on his line-up going forward. “I have Tiger up for release next. I am almost done shooting for it. I am producing some 3 to 4 films under SKF, which will start soon. They are very good films. One of them is called Bakre Ki Eid and it will come on Bakri Eid,” he informs with a smile. The actor believes that the Hindi film audience is very welcoming to other industries and the gap is being bridged with every passing day. “Bahubali comes and does 500 crore in Hindi. Our industry is very welcoming.”
Salman believes that it is important to market a film well in today’s time more so due to the pandemic. “There was a time when I never stepped out of Galaxy for publicity and Sunny Deol didn’t step out of Juhu. But now, you need to go out and tell the people.” He believes that this is just the beginning of Antim at the box-office and the collections will be steady in the days to follow. “The box office collections will be very good, very soon. Right now, I am with Antim till the Antim Ghadi. We have got a clear run now. Ahan’s film is coming (next week) and he will take a few theaters… But we are also in as many theaters only, so they won’t take our show. We have a clear run till 83’,” he says, adding further that the film will do much better going forward.
“Release ke pehele, ek word of mouth aya tha that I am there in the film for just 15 minutes. But today, people have seen the film and appreciating it as my role is a lot bigger than that. I will be travelling to a lot of states now to promote the film – we will go to Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Indore, Hyderabad. We are also planning a tour in Bangalore.”
I have Tiger up for release next. I am almost done shooting for it...I am producing some 3 to 4 films under SKF. One of them is called Bakre Ki Eid and it will come on Bakri Eid
Salman Khan
There was a time when Salman was very active on social media sharing the most random stuff to entertain his fans. His old tweets with images of ants and mosquitoes have time and again gone viral. However, off late, he has stopped those interactions on social media. Explaining the reason, he signs off, “There are some 15 people who check my post now – from lawyers to the team. Yeh Maat Karo, Woh Maat Karo. Now imagine, if I go to DSK and say, ‘Yeh Makkhi Ka Photo Daalna Hai’ or question ‘Yeh Ant Male Hai Ki Female Hai’… They would say, you have lost the plot dude. Matlab Kya Yaar.”
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