“There can only be one answer — Salman bhai,” says Jagapathi Babu, when asked about what prompted him to give his nod to a Hindi film. The veteran actor, known for his work in Telugu cinema over the past three decades, forays into Bollywood with Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (KKBKKJ). On screen, as the antagonist, he may be locking horns with Salman Khan, but off screen, he is all praise for the superstar.

“When I went to the set of KKBKKJ, I got a warm welcome from him and the team. The first thing I asked him was, ‘What do I call you?’ He said, ‘My name is Salman, so you can call me that.’ I found him cool, and started calling him Salman bhai eventually. He gave me lots of [acting] tips.”

With today’s release, Babu — who stars alongside Venkatesh and Pooja Hegde — fulfills his seven-year wish of starring in a Hindi movie. “Thanks to Salman bhai, my wish is fulfilled. He didn’t have to convince me to play a negative role, I was happy to do one.”

The actor, who has worked with superstars Rajinikanth and Mohanlal, notes that the gap between south and Hindi films is being bridged. “The gap was due to a [lack of] communication. Fortunately, it has been bridged. Today, a healthy exchange of technicians and actors is happening.”