Mahesh Manjrekar has been roped in to direct a film for Salman Khan’s home production. Titled Guns Of North, it is an official remake of the Marathi hit, Mulshi Pattern. It features Aayush Sharma as a dreaded gangster and will be shot in real locations up North. Mahesh Manjrekar has replaced LoveYatri director Abhiraj Minawala.

That’s not the only change. Salman was to do the role of a Sikh cop in the film, which in the original was more of an extended cameo. Through the lockdown, the makers reworked the script and his role evolved to become the parallel lead, giving a commercial spin to the cat-and-mouse story. “But during the final narration last month, both Salman and his team acknowledged that reworking the script had taken away the essence of the Marathi film, which was a rustic gangster drama set in the heartland. And it was decided that he would drop out as an actor from the film and they would stick to the original script,” informs a source close to the development.

Interestingly, Mahesh had acted in Mulshi Pattern and it was he who recommended it to Salman. With him coming on board as the director, life has come full circle for Mahesh. “He has helmed Vaastav and City of Gold in the past and this film is in a similar space, making him the ideal choice. Mahesh will have multiple acting workshops with Aayush in October. The script is almost locked, the idea is to take it on floors by November,” adds the source.

The director is currently working towards getting together an ensemble cast. Many actors from the Marathi film industry could be signed on. Salman will shoot for his reality show, Bigg Boss 14, for a day on October 1. This will be followed by a 10-day schedule of the Prabhudheva-directed action thriller Radhe in the city.

Actor hopes to resume next in Nov, then confront Aayush Sharma, reunite with Sajid Nadiadwala and roar as Tiger
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 5, 2020)

Mirror (Feb 20) was the first to report that Salman Khan will be playing an upright Sikh cop in LoveYatri director Abhiraj Minawala’s next, which features Aayush Sharma as a gangster. The film was to roll in Delhi in April, but the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown played spoil-sport. During the lockdown, Salman stayed put with Abhiraj and writer Hussain Dalal, who has penned films like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2 States, Jawaani Jaaneman and Baaghi 2, in his farm in Panvel working on the script which is now locked. Titled Guns Of North, it will be shot in 90 days once life gets back to normal.

According to a source close to the development, the film is based on the Marathi hit, Mulshi Pattern, recommended to Salman by his friend, actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar. “While in the original, Upendra Limaye’s cop was on screen for just 20 minutes, this time around, the script has been rewritten, to focus on the confrontation between Salman and Aayush, who play cop and gangster. He has almost 50-55 days work,” informed the source, adding that the extended cameo has now become a full-fledged role.

The shooting dates are yet to be decided because Salman’s first priority is to complete and release the Prabhudheva-directed action thriller, Radhe. “Around 10 days of shoot still remains. Now, they are contemplating letting go of a song which is not integral to the narrative. Salman is still at his farm and looking to resume work on Radhe in October or November. It’s a big screen entertainer, so the makers are in no hurry to release the film. If they can get back to action in the next two-three months, they will target the Republic Day weekend. If they miss that, their next consideration will be Eid 2021,” shared the source.

After Radhe and Guns Of North, Salman will move to the Sajid Nadiadwala production, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, directed by Farhad Samji, and then, towards the end of next year, to Tiger 3, which will reunite him with Katrina Kaif. “Salman has a tentative calendar in mind, but he won’t risk his health or that of his cast and crew for any work commitment. He is waiting for the case count to reduce and the vaccine to arrive before taking any decision. But after a much needed break of more than seven months, there will be four back-to-back Salman starrers. Meanwhile, he has locked two-three more scripts for his production house, which he will announce once the cast is locked,” the source signed off.

Eager to wrap up the shoot of Radhe, Salman Khan eyes festival release for actioner even as Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi, Vijay's Master book the date
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 3, 2020)

He may have missed his Eid date with the audience due to Coronavirus lockdown, but Salman Khan will leave no stone unturned to make up for it. Considering Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai has only 10 days of shoot left, the superstar is keen that the actioner hit the marquee on Diwali, thus gaining the advantage of a festival release.

A trade source reveals that Khan doesn't want to delay Radhe's release any further as he wants to train his focus on director Abhiraj Minawala's next, Guns Of North. "The post-production of Radhe is underway with Ajay Devgn's NY VFXWaala handling the film's special effects. He is eager to return to the set and film the pending portions, which includes a song. Once he has wrapped up the shoot, the superstar will begin work on Guns Of North and Farhad Samji's Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali. Salman thinks Diwali will be the perfect window for Radhe as Christmas is too far," says the source.

If Radhe is ready for a November release, it will find competitors in Akshay Kumar's Sooryavanshi, and Vijay's Master, which will also release in Hindi. The Vijay-led movie may bag a considerable number of screens like KGF: Part 1 did when it released alongside Zero (2018).

Trade analyst Atul Mohan believes a three-way clash will be an imprudent idea. "The makers should sit across the table and chart out the possible releases so that there is no scope for a clash. In the past, three to four big films would release on Diwali, and they would all farewell. But, now, we need to focus on the survival [of theatres and producers]. We need to plan things in such a way that everybody lands on their feet."

Six Bollywood makers found themselves away from their workplace in the last few months and admit they have been creatively active and emotionally satiated
MUMBAI MIRROR (June 25, 2020)

I am far more efficient here in Lonavala: Hansal Mehta

I came to my other home on the outskirts of Lonavala with my family just before the lockdown started and have been here since. We have divided household responsibilities amongst the four of us equally. Mine includes cooking three meals of the day and cleaning the kitchen. I use fresh local ingredients I get from a nearby market and on weekends we have a feast…Yakhni pulao, butter chicken, nihari or laal maas.

I love working from home. It gets my creative juices flowing. I have weekly catch-up meetings for my show and upcoming film Chhalaang. I have also been having meetings with the writers and actors of my next directorial, which was supposed to start in April. It has been a productive time as I have completed two scripts. I am in no hurry to return to Mumbai as I am far more efficient here, but as soon as I am ready to start prep, I’ll be back.

—As told to Akash Bhatnagar
------------------------------

It’s a simple life packed with work and routine chores in Kolkata: Shoojit Sircar

I flew to Kolkata long before the lockdown and have been here since. It is a simple, busy, disciplined life, packed with routine chores, with a few hours to catch up on my reading, a few documentaries and a little gardening. The biggest thrill is that I don’t have to wake up early to pack my daughters’ tiffins and can have them around me all day.

Sitting in the City of Joy, I have orchestrated the release of my last film, Gulabo Sitabo, and have started the post-production of my next, Sardar Udham Singh. We wrapped up the shoot of the biopic last December and from June 8, my editor with a lone assistant, has started work. We are in touch through video calls, texts and an app that allows us to view the edited content, frame by frame, and offer comments.

My composer Shantanu Moitra has been collaborating from home on the score with his team of musicians and arrangers. Meanwhile, work on the visual effects has also started and technicians in Kolkata and Europe will collaborate on the sound design over the upcoming month or two.

I am happy in Kolkata with my family; there is plenty of time for reflection and introspection while still working on my movies.

—As told to Roshmila Bhattacharya
------------------------------

I spent a lot of time in the gym with Salman sir at the Panvel farmhouse and worked on 3 scripts: Abhiraj Minawala

We had gone to Salman sir’s (Khan) Panvel farmhouse for the weekend. We had a script narration planned for the day before the Janta Curfew was announced. If we had wanted, we could have driven back to Mumbai, but we stayed back thinking the lockdown wouldn’t extend beyond two weeks. I saw it as an opportunity to work with my writer and polish the script of my next. It’s locked now and we are waiting for normalcy to return to take it ahead.

I spent a lot of time in the gym with Salman sir. I also worked on a script that I had developed with a writer-friend and a web series. I got to watch the kind of content that is out there and figure out what the audience wants. Around a month ago, when the government allowed intra-state movement, I returned home to my wife.

—As told to Akash Bhatnagar
------------------------------

Whenever we resume shoot, I will be back from Lonavala: Anees Bazmee

I had come to my bungalow in Lonavala, where I usually spend my weekends with my family, on March 15. Since I didn’t have any work in Mumbai, we had planned on staying for a few more days. I had brought only three-four days’ change of clothes. The lockdown was announced and I have been here since. Now, I’m okay with repeating my clothes.

I have a special connection with Mumbai, but I often come here to write. It’s a better place to live and I can spend some quality time with my kids. My son is a fitness freak and my daughter is into yoga. They make me join them. I have also learnt to appreciate the satisfaction of having a meal with the family.

I was working on a couple of projects and have fine-tuned them during my stay here. I am in no hurry to return to Mumbai. I have told my Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 producers that I will be back whenever they plan to resume shooting. But I don’t see that happening for at least a month as we need to go to Lucknow again to complete the shoot. We have been discussing our future course of action over video calls.

—As told to Akash Bhatnagar
------------------------------

I have been scripting Shootout 3 here in Khandala: Sanjay Gupta

After schools shut and the industry came to a standstill, I shifted to our Khandala bungalow with my family and we have been here since. It’s much better here than in the city.

I am an avid reader but inexplicably, this time around, I haven’t been able to pick up a book. So, I have been working on the post-production of Mumbai Saga with my editor Bunty Nagi, who is in Mumbai. Since we have been collaborating for 20 years, he knows exactly what I want and there is very little back and forth.

We will soon resume shooting at the Ramoji Rao Film City in Hyderabad, including two songs with the cast. Mumbai Saga is a film made for the big screen, so I’ll wait for the theatres to open to release it. Meanwhile I’ve been scripting the next film in the Shootout series, along with Rajat Arora and Ekta Kapoor. For now, we are calling it Shootout 3. I find phone narrations ridiculous, so, I am waiting for the restrictions to be lifted to start casting. It will be my next film, but when it goes on the floor depends on how soon the Coronavirus pandemic is contained.

—As told to Ankita Chaurasia
------------------------------
Since ’99, I’ve never spent so much time at a stretch in Dehradun: Ali Abbas Zafar

I was lucky to get out of Mumbai early. I left Dehradun in 1999 for college and since then, have never spent so much time at a stretch here. It is a blessing in disguise and special, too, as I’m getting to enjoy the new house, I had gifted my parents. Like me, they were also raised in Dehradun and this town is close to our hearts. It is a good change for us to be in the mountains and so close to nature.

I have got some much-needed sleep, fresh air and lots of time to write. I have written all my films, either in Dehradun or Mussoorie as I can cut myself off from Mumbai here. This time, I have locked the script for Katrina’s (Kaif) superhero film. It will go on the floors once the lockdown ends. There’s a lot of prep required because of the kind of action involved and I am in touch with an international team over video calls. I’m also doing script readings with my actors and chatting with the production designer.

I have also completed the first draft of the next film in this superhero series titled Mr India. Hopefully that script will be ready too before I return to Mumbai.

—As told to Himesh Mankad

With filmmakers resuming shoots gradually, Salman Khan charts out a schedule of three films; intends to wrap up Radhe followed by Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali, Guns Of North
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 9, 2020)

He may have pursued creative interests like singing and sketching during the lockdown, but Salman Khan is happiest when on a film set. As the entertainment industry is gingerly resuming shoots in adherence with the guidelines issued by the state government, the superstar intends to dive headlong into three projects — Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali and Guns Of North — in the coming weeks.

His foremost priority is to wrap up the Prabhudheva-directed venture. "First, Salman will film the Radhe song with Disha Patani. The number was originally supposed to be shot in Azerbaijan, but now they will film it in a studio. Some patchwork shoot is pending as well. The makers are eyeing a Diwali release," says a source close to Khan's family.

mid-day had reported that director Abhiraj Minawala had stayed put at Khan's Panvel farmhouse during the lockdown. The duo utilised the time to develop the Hindi adaptation of the Marathi film, Mulshi Pattern, which will be headlined by Khan's brother-in-law Aayush Sharma. "Salman has a special appearance in the movie, which has been titled Guns Of North. While the project will tentatively go on floors in mid-July, the actor will join the unit in the last leg. He will sport a beard for his role of a Punjabi cop."

Before joining Sharma, he will train his focus on Farhad Samji's Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali. "The team is currently reworking the dates. Salman has his heart set on the film. After being unable to meet his fans on Eid this year, he wants to bowl them over with his 2021 Eid offering," adds the source.

Actor makes up for no Eid release with a single; has locked script of his next, working on more music vids
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 30, 2020)

Salman Khan was gearing up for yet another Eid release, the action thriller Radhe, when the nationwide lockdown brought film shoots to a halt across the country. Since March, the actor has been at his farmhouse in Panvel with friends, acquaintances and some family members. He, however, kept his Eid tradition by releasing a single “Bhai Bhai”, which speaks of Hindu-Muslim unity in India. The song was unveiled on the eve of the festival.

“The idea had been brewing in Salman’s mind for a while. He wrote the lyrics and sent it to composer-friends Sajid-Wajid, who picked out material from their music bank and set the song to tune the same day. Salman then shot the music video, which features him just walking around his farm. Since it was a simple shoot, it could be done at short notice, with an assistant recording him on a digi-cam,” informed a source.

Salman has been working back-to-back, on films like Race 3, Bharat, Dabangg 3 and Radhe, over the last few years and this lockdown has been a much-needed break. “But Bhai is a workaholic; he has already shot for and released three music videos and is planning to continue the flow. He is writing songs, singing them, shooting them and working on the edit simultaneously.”

While Eid is usually family time for Salman, this year, the Khans were apart, but the actor greeted them and his team virtually over video calls. He continued with philanthropy as well, distributing special kits of ingredients to make sheer qorma to over 5000 underprivileged families in Mumbai.

Mirror had earlier reported that the actor is teaming up with Aayush Sharma and LoveYatri director Abhiraj Minawala on a gangster-drama, in which he plays a no-nonsense Sikh cop to Aayush’s gangster. “Even before the lockdown started, Abhiraj was at the farm and they have since locked the final draft. But they are in no hurry to roll with it. A meeting with all stakeholders will take place once Salman is back in Mumbai, and based on the safety protocols, will decide when the film will kick off,” the source added.

Before this gangster-drama, Salman will wrap up the Prabhudheva-directed Radhe. Around 20 days’ shoot remains, which includes two songs. A major chunk of the post-production will begin only once the shooting is done. “It is a stylish, lavishly-mounted actioner and they will wait to release it in the theatres. His slate for the next two years is locked with Radhe, the untitled gangster-drama, Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali with Sajid Nadiadwala and Tiger 3. There were half a dozen offers before the pandemic and Salman will decide on them once normalcy returns,” the source concluded.

Salman Khan seems to have a mini-lockdown with almost 22 people, including Jacqueline Fernandez and Iulia Vantur, holed up in his farmhouse; coterie spends days horse-riding and swimming
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 17, 2020)

Every December, the gates of Salman Khan's Panvel farmhouse are thrown open as the rich and the famous throng the venue to celebrate the superstar's birthday. We may be months away from December, but a section of Bollywood is cocooned at Arpita Farms. Over the past few weeks, Khan has been playing host to 20-odd people, including Jacqueline Fernandez, Iulia Vantur, director Abhiraj Minawala and wife, and Waluscha De Sousa, who have inadvertently found themselves stuck on the outskirts of Mumbai during the Coronavirus lockdown.

The actor had travelled to Panvel in mid-March with director Minawala to discuss their next, the Mulshi Pattern remake. "Salman's brother-in-law Aayush Sharma joined them along with wife Arpita and their kids. At the same time, Atul Agnihotri, wife Alvira and her friend Waluscha had gone to the farmhouse to spend a fun weekend. They were in for a surprise when the state government issued a stay-at-home order, followed by the nationwide lockdown," says a source. Apparently, Fernandez had headed to Panvel at the same time to discuss her single, Genda Phool. "Now, there are about 22 people holed up in the estate, including Sohail's son Nirvaan, his three friends and the staff. Fortunately, the bungalow is massive with nine bedrooms and two pools. So, social distancing is not a problem."

There is never a dull moment in the house, adds the source. "People spend their days swimming, playing pool and practising organic farming. When Salman is not working on his next, Iulia and he goes horse-riding. He also creates awareness videos about the prevailing situation, which are shot by Saajan Singh. Salman's afternoons are dedicated to mother Salma."

Actor will play a Sikh policeman, with Aayush Sharma as a gangster, in a drama set in North India; film rolls in May, to wrap up by Sept
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 21, 2020)

Salman Khan, who is all set to wrap up his Eid 2020 release, the Prabhudheva-directed Radhe has already given the go-ahead to his next. The yet-untitled film has him playing a cop and will be helmed by Abhiraj Minawala, who last directed Aayush Sharma’s debut film, LoveYatri, for Salman’s production house. Interestingly, Aayush is also a part of this action drama. He plays a North Indian gangster.

“Salman has played cops before, but what excited him about this one is that he’s a Sikh cop. He will be growing a beard for real and wears a turban. He will undergo multiple look tests next week with his team,” revealed a source close to the development.

In the past, the actor had made a brief appearance as a Sikh army officer in Samir Karnik’s 2008 directorial Heroes, wherein he was paired alongside Preity Zinta. “However, this time around, there won’t be an actress opposite Salman. His is an honest, upright, no-nonsense cop on a mission. However, the hunt is on for a leading lady for Aayush, a gangster on the run. He will sport a rugged look and will bulk up for the role since Salman and he have several confrontations,” informed the source.

Abhiraj is currently finalising on the script with his writers while another team is working on the prep. The film goes on the floors by May. “Salman has allotted bulk dates for the shoot and he is looking at a year-end or early 2021 release. It will wrap up by September following which he moves on to Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali,” added the source.

Salman has shot the action scenes of Radhe with a Korean stunt team and it is sleek and stylised. The stunts in Abhiraj’s next will be raw and real. The actor also has Kick 2 and Tiger 3, which will roll next year.

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 3, 2018)

Actresses usually dream of a debut where a Bollywood superstar is attached to a project. Model-turned-actor, Warina Hussain, is part Afghani and part Iraqi, and she’s eager to make a lasting first impression on the marquee with Salman Khan’s home production, LoveYatri: Journey of Love. In an interview with BT, she takes us through her journey so far. She also reveals the hard work that she and co-star Aayush Sharma have put in on their first film, among other things. Excerpts…

The first experience of being on a film set can be quite special. What was it like for you on the set of LoveYatri: Journey of Love?
Our first shot was on a scooter for the song Tera Hua. We were told that we will rehearse and then shoot. But Vaibhavi Merchant (choreographer) had lied to us. She actually shot the song while we rehearsed to capture the raw moments. She knew we were nervous. Actually, I couldn’t sleep the night before out of excitement. While Aayush did his little prayer in the vanity van, I sought duas, too. It’s turned out to be an experience that will live with me all my life.

How do you view your journey leading up to a dream debut in a film produced by Salman Khan?
It’s not been easy. My mother and I settled in Delhi a decade ago when I was in my early teens. After class 12, I wanted to get into fashion designing which didn’t happen because of financial and family issues. I decided to earn and took up a job as a sales girl at a fashion designer’s boutique. That also didn’t work too well, so I took up modelling. At one point, I realised that I don’t have anything other than modelling to do. So, I decided to move to Mumbai to work in ad films. I gradually found opportunities with fashion catalogues and they became my primary source of income. From there on, it was one audition after the other, till I finally tested for LoveYatri.

With LoveYatri, you stumbled upon a chance to be employed by Salman Khan. What was your first meeting with him like?
I am an introvert. So, I take a while before I open up. Usually, I only smile and you can keep guessing what I’m thinking. I met Salman on the day I was signing the film. He said, ‘Hi! I am Salman Khan.’ I replied, ‘Hi! I am Warina Hussain.’ It was that casual. He told me that my auditions were good and that I would undergo more training. Aayush (Sharma) and Abhiraj (Minawala, director) thought, ‘Isko pata hai Salman Khan kaun hai?’ Generally, they are used to seeing people get ecstatic while meeting him. I drew a blank. (Laughs!) Whenever I am in doubt, I talk to Salman. He’s very stingy with praise, because he doesn’t want people to go off track. He’s generally very encouraging, but woh daant bhi dete hain if he finds you’re getting lazy.

Since you hail from Afghanistan, did your command over Hindi surprise a lot of people? It’s rare to find foreigners who know the language well.
(Smiles) Actually, a half of Afghanistan knows basic Hindi because everyone religiously follows Bollywood. For the longest time, wherever we went, my mother made sure she has a cable connection because she didn’t want to miss her Ekta Kapoor serials. I grew up watching Son Pari and Shararat. When I came to India is when I formally started communicating in Hindi. While talking to mom, I keep checking with her if she understands what I’m saying, because I often mix words from Hindi, English and Dari (her mother tongue).

All eyes will be on your co-star Aayush Sharma, because he’s debuting in a film produced by his brother-in-law Salman Khan. Where does that leave you?
I am nervous right now. I am not an Indian, so I don’t know how the audience and the industry will react to me. My Hindi is okay, but I don’t know if people will accept me as an NRI in the film. My acting and dance skills will also be analysed. As an artiste, I’m also into the habit of self-critique, but right now, this is the only thing going on in my life. I am hopeful that people accept me.

Generally, models-turned-actors fall prey to the perception that they’re not natural performers. From Katrina Kaif to Deepika Padukone, girls have been scrutinised in the past.
No one must be judged without seeing their body of work. As a model, you have a certain personality, which softens when you become an actress. It’s about how you groom yourself for the profession. Everyone who has made it big, has worked on themselves. Persistence matters a lot, if you have to survive in the film industry. I’ve often been asked if I was nervous while facing the camera. I was more concerned about other things. I will have to prove whether I deserve my next chance to act or not.

Bollywood has long been a favourite in your home country Afghanistan. Now that your debut film is set to release, what sort of reactions are you expecting from back home?
I wish my film opened there. The thing is I haven’t been to Afghanistan in a while. I do get messages from fellow Afghans from other parts of the world, wishing me luck and hoping that I succeed at what I am doing. While staying here in India, I just pray that women in Afghanistan have a great future ahead.

Meena Iyer (DNA; October 1, 2018)

Salman Khan is enjoying the cool ocean breeze in his garden. Looking super-relaxed after a yummy home-cooked lunch, he invites us to chat with him about his next production LoveYatri, a film in which he introduces two newcomers, Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain.

Sipping on his black coffee as we drink our ginger tea, the actor-producer takes us through his role as a mentor to several upcoming newbies.

You seem committed to launching new talent; the latest being Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain.
Back in the day, I was a newcomer looking for that magical break. I was fortunate that the makers of Biwi Ho Toh Aisi (1988) and Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) gave me the opportunity. Today, I’m in a position to introduce youngsters. If a film is made within the right budget and the boy and the girl have a spark, it’s okay to produce it. Initially, there was a fear to back a newcomer because the money is yours and so is the responsibility. Earlier, everybody was more forgiving. Today, everything is put under a microscope. If you introduce talent, you need to invest in them and ensure that they put their best foot forward. Even before the film releases, someone has a problem with the title, there’s social media, some or the other story is coming out, so it’s difficult to keep up and ensure everything stays in place. Production-wise, if you can make the movie within the right budget, you will land safe. The satellite and digital rights fetch enough for you to cover the costs. However, what is important to me is to make a nice product and ensure that it’s a safe bet.

When did you first spot that spark in Aayush?
It was Sohail (Khan) who first mentioned Aayush to me, long before I had met him. We were planning a film called My Punjabi Nikaah. Sohail said that he had seen this boy at the gym. He didn’t know his name, but felt he was apt for the film. Cut to the point when Aayush came home to ask for Arpita’s hand in marriage. We were called to meet him and while we were standing, Sohail whispered that this was the same guy whom he had suggested for My Punjabi Nikaah. That’s how the whole thing started. I joked to myself saying, “Ab toh yeh picture free mein karega,” (laughs). That was it. He’s a hard-working boy, he spent four years with me and worked on Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Tubelight and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). So being with me, he has seen how one works. He is into photography and is also a film buff. So, instead of someone else launching him, we felt it was best for us to give him a break under our banner. I know people will start a debate on — what’s so great about giving a break to someone from the family, etc. But honestly, I don’t give a damn about what people say. I’m of the view that he is our boy, our talent, if we don’t have the confidence to launch him, how can anyone else do the same?

You are damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.
Something like that. There were big guys who wanted to sign him, but we had a beautiful subject. I asked him to hear it and told him that if he liked it, we would be happy to produce it. In the interval itself, Aayush said that this was something up his alley. The movie is not about him fighting 10 guys, it’s got romantic scenes, it’s a contemporary subject, it’s got superb music, there’s no sex, vulgarity or double-meaning dialogues, it’s clean pure content.

How about Warina?
Both the boy and the girl are really good. The way they have danced, their chemistry on screen, the way Abhiraj K Minawala has shot the film, it’s great. Warina is a fabulous actress, she is a natural. She is superb even in the most difficult scenes.

You launched Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty in Hero (2015). You’ve also signed on newbies Zaheer Iqbal and Pranutan Behl.
It takes time to find and nurture new talent. You also need immense faith and patience. Sometimes, the boy and girl do not work in their first film. However, if you are committed to them, you cannot say, ‘Isko mat lo, yeh nahin chala, woh nahin chala.’ You can’t leave them.

You have a dedicated talent-management division, too.
Being Talented (our talent management company) has a slightly different way of working as compared to others. We support newcomers and since we also have a production house, we make films with them. At the same time, they can also do outside movies. We’re not fixated on numbers, it’s about finding newbies and nurturing them.

This is yet another facet to you. Besides, Salman the superstar, Salman the producer, you are now Salman the mentor, Godfather?
These guys are really good. Please, I am no Godfather. I’m their mentor. If someone comes to me, saying mujhe launch kar do, I’m not going to do it instantly. Till the time I don’t see the spark, dedication and devotion to their craft, I won’t think about it. These are the guys I have seen, they are hardworking. I’ve seen Zaheer preparing since Jai Ho (2014). There’s no angst or frustration about waiting. Aayush also has been ready for a long time. The way they have maintained their bodies and worked hard makes me proud. Zaheer was an assistant with me like Sooraj and Aayush. I was an AD for four films before I became an actor. There are no shortcuts; ki koi aapko launch kar de.

You believe in investing in them forever...
My job is to sign them and give them important films. Their job is to use the opportunity well and stay invested in themselves. I gave a break to a girl who was not doing too well in her career with one of my big films. It was a runaway hit, but instead of capitalising on the success, she went ahead and got married. That becomes a waste. Marriage is a good thing. All girls and boys must marry. However, the point I am making is that if you fritter away a chance or if you don’t utilise an opportunity given to you to the fullest, it becomes slightly disappointing. Believe me, it’s hard to find a big break. There are hundreds of thousands who pray, leave everything behind and come looking for that break. If you are fortunate to get one, do not let it become a wasted opportunity. Please use it. That focus has to be there.

Do you think star kids are less focussed than outsiders or say, sons of technicians like you who is a script-writer’s son or Ajay Devgn who is an action director’s son?
One cannot generalise. Star kids may get a break faster than others, but they also work hard to keep up. One must know that the real education in the industry doesn’t come from affluence. It comes from not looking at  life through rose-tinted glasses.

Do you ever feel burdened while launching new talent?
No, on the contrary, I feel much lighter. There are so many films you want to do, but you can’t because you don’t have the dates. These guys will take up those movies. Earlier, we used to act in six-to-eight films a year. I don’t know how we managed, but today, even if we want to, we can’t.

So, you’re planning to stick to acting in three movies a year?
Three looks difficult. I manage to do two a year (smiles).

After Bharat, you’ve got Dabangg 3?
Yeah, I’m going to jump straight out of Bharat set onto the Dabangg 3 one. (laughs).

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; October 1, 2018)

This Friday, while all eyes will be on Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain, the release of LoveYatri: Journey of Love is going to be just as critical for another newcomer, director Abhiraj Minawala. The young filmmaker takes us through his aspirations and expectations while making a debut with a Salman Khan production. He has honed his skills under the tutelage of prominent filmmakers and is hoping to have a long and successful career ahead. Excerpts…

How do you view your journey from being Ali Abbas Zafar’s assistant on Sultan, to making your debut as a director in a film produced by Salman Khan? LoveYatri: Journey of Love has had its share of controversy and attention, too. What were the challenges?
It has been a long journey from being the first AD to a director. It takes a lot of patience to get this far. It started on the sets of Sultan, where I met Salman Khan and Aayush Sharma for the first time. Aayush was trying to understand the workings of every department on a set. I knew that he wanted to act, but not once did it occur to me that we would end up launching our careers together. I took a year’s break after Sultan and when I finally ran into Salman sir, he asked me for ideas and he was keen that I make a film for his banner. When I started working, I felt Aayush could be a great fit and he liked the script, too.

What advice did your mentor Ali Abbas Zafar offer you?
He had once told me that for your first film, you should work in a space that you are familiar with. Don’t take on too many challenges right away. Take one step at a time and build a strong base for a longer and stronger career as a filmmaker. I stuck to that mantra. As a Gujarati, I could connect with LoveYatri’s story really well. It’s not like I didn’t find great stories before this, but this one excited me the most. My mother’s family is from Ahmedabad. I’ve spent many summer holidays there and I have seen several Navratri celebrations, which are distinctly different from the ones in Mumbai. People go dancing on all nine nights. I wanted to bring out these beautiful things about the state, through a simple romantic story. Aayush plays Sushrut, who wants to start a garba academy, but no one takes his ambition seriously. Warina plays Michelle, a Baroda girl who stays in London. They meet during Navrati, share a common passion for dance and fall in love. Isn’t that sweet and simple?

With the audience’s evolving taste in cinema, even modern love stories have had to reinvent the formula. Do you think a simple love story like LoveYatri, will be able to appeal to contemporary sensibilities?
This film is like a hidden treasure waiting to be found. In late 2000s, films like Khosla Ka Ghosla and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye opened doors for different kinds of stories, which could be set in new parts of the country. You will be surprised to know just how many people want to watch films like LoveYatri. The last time I saw this kind of innocent romance was in Jab Tak Hai Jaan. I had worked on that film, so it was all the more special. Our film has a contemporary style, but it also has the innocence of the 90s films, which is a rarity today. More recently, I felt Bareilly Ki Barfi introduced people to the real texture of Uttar Pradesh with a simple love story. Similarly, through a love story and a set of characters, I’ve tried to introduce the country to the flavours of Gujarat. I’m sure people will savour this film as a romance that I feel has vanished from the big screen.

Launching any newcomer is a huge responsibility for any director or producer. In this case, Salman is launching Aayush, who is his brother-in-law. Do you feel more pressure because of it?
There’s a lot of pressure on me, but it’s not because Aayush is in the film. Salman has shown confidence in me that I can helm a film for his banner, and more so with his brother-in-law. He’s launching a new trio. It’s a lot of responsibility. The fact that he’s confident about us gives us a lot of self-belief.

The Khan family is a tightly-knit unit. Since you have worked with Salman and Aayush, what sort of a rapport do you share with their family?
For me, Aayush is like a brother, but when I am going to his house or Salman sir’s house, I don’t ever forget what I am going there for. Right now, I go there when I have work. The family is indeed very loving and accepting. Like Salim Khan saab saw the film and had only one thing to say, ‘It’s a sweet film. You’ve done justice to it.’ It’s a huge compliment. Previously, Ali has shown his films to him. When Ali heard about this, he said, ‘It’s great because if Salim sir doesn’t like something, he has a lot more to say.’

What was Salman’s reaction?
He just smiled and gave me thumbs up for it.

Now that you have directed a film for Salman’s banner, do you have aspirations of directing him in a film, too?
Yeah! I am hoping for something like that, but there is a long way to go. I need to prepare myself thoroughly before working with a superstar like him. My next film depends on how people receive LoveYatri.

Rachit Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; September 30, 2018)

He’s no stranger to controversy, but Salman Khan’s home production, LoveYatri: Journey of Love, created brouhaha over its earlier title (Loveratri). Reportedly, a political outfit in Gujarat objected to it, since they felt that it sounded similar to the festival, Navratri. Salman was quick to diffuse the situation when he promptly changed the title, even as the Supreme Court later passed a judgement in favour of the film. In a candid chat with BT, the superstar talks about steering clear of political and societal pressures and staying focussed on entertaining the masses. He also shares some intimate thoughts on his equation with his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma, who makes his debut with this film. Excerpts from a freewheeling chat...

Changing the title of Loveratri to LoveYatri... just a few weeks before the release must have been a tough decision?
No, it was the easiest decision of my life. What’s the point in getting stuck on a topic if someone has a problem with it? It’s not like we had any intention of hurting anyone or their feelings. It’s not like the title Loveratri means something offensive, but a section of society felt offended by it, and sadly, these people are from the very place where the film is based, Gujarat. Why should we then deliberately go ahead and upset them? So, we changed the title. It’s a very simple change and I think we were fortunate to get the new title, because at the end of the day, the story is about a journey of love. In hindsight, perhaps the new title suits our film better. Hopefully, it will not create any more problem for anyone. And if they are not satisfied with LoveYatri, we will change it to something else. If they still have a problem with any new title, we’ll just say, ‘Paanch October ko ek picture release ho rahi hai. Uss film ka title nahi hai, par uss film ka hero hai Aayush Sharma, Warina Hussain heroine hai, director Abhiraj (Minawala) hai, kripya aap apne nazdeeki yaa door wale theatre mein jaake iss film ko dekhein’ (laughs!). Honestly, how does it matter? My life’s ambition is not to get stuck on the title of a film.

Over the years, the films you have produced, or starred in, have been family entertainers. So, how do you react when political establishments make a hue and cry about your film, compelling you to even appeal to the Supreme Court of India?
I was surprised that a simple title like Loveratri could court such controversy. I could not figure out why it happened. There was one Gujarati lady called Avni ben, who’s quite close to my family and her opinion influenced my decision. To give you a background, she’s a simple woman who has nothing to do with politics or films. But she said, ‘Gando thai gayo (you have gone mad). Yeh kya naam rakha hai film ka, Loveratri?’ If someone were to say that for personal or political gains, that’s a separate matter, but here, a simple Gujarati lady felt so strongly against the title. That’s when I said, ‘Change the title!’ We’ve made a beautiful film with a love story to entertain the people. We don’t want people getting upset with our cinema. Even when the film went to the Censor Board, the committee raised a concern, but they cleared the title when Abhiraj (Minawala, director) explained his thoughts and ideas behind the title. They CBFC saw reason and merit in our arguments. We were very happy when the Censor Board said that we can keep the title and just add a tagline to it. But with so many different sources expressing the same concern over the title, I decided it was best to just change it.

Brother in law, mentor, producer... how would you describe your equation with Aayush Sharma?
I’m not the person that you guys think I am. My equation, or my way of dealing with newcomers, does not change from person to person. So, whether it is Sooraj Pancholi, Athiya Shetty, Zaheer Iqbal (a friend’s son) or Aayush, I work with them in the capacity of a filmmaker. For me, every film I make is like a launch film and I consider every film as a film that can destroy my career. I believe, every newcomer, like Aayush, goes through the same set of emotions and apprehensions.

All eyes will be on Aayush in LoveYatri, because he’s being launched in a film produced by you. That in itself is massive pressure for a newcomer...
It’s going to be very difficult for him. He’s got a huge task at his hands. When I started out, I went out on my own, because I felt that if my father produces a film for me and if that film does well, all credit would go to my father. But if the film doesn’t do well, all the blame would go to my father, too. In such a scenario, I didn’t want the blame nor the credit to go to my dad. It had to be just me, doing my own thing outside of my father’s shadow. But, he (Aayush) will have to go through that phase. Having said that, both Aayush and Warina have worked very hard on this film.

How did you react when you first met Aayush? It’s been reported that your brother Sohail, first informed you about wanting to sign Aayush for a Punjabi film. And then, the same guy turned out to be your sister Arpita’s boyfriend. Were you totally taken by surprise?
Apparently, Arpita says that she first introduced Aayush to me at our Panvel farm, but I do not recollect that meeting at all (laughs!). The second time I met him was when he came home to meet dad and tell him that he wanted to marry Arpita. I was there with Sohail and that’s when he told me that Aayush was the same guy he wanted to make My Punjabi Nikaah with. So, I told Sohail, ‘Dude, abhi toh yeh teri film mein free main kaam karega’ (laughs!).

Aayush revealed in a chat with BT that you had walked in, while he was watching a movie with Arpita in her room at 1 am. How did that situation pan out?
If I remember correctly, I said something like, ‘Oh hello? Kya hai? Chalo niklo baahar!’

In his interview with BT, Aayush also claimed that he feels awkward at film parties and he’s always at a loss of words. Even at film events, he’s always waiting to make a quick exit. After all your interactions, what’s your understanding of him now?
He’s an introvert. He’s a very awkward boy. He was just as awkward with people from political parties, as he is with people from filmi parties (laughs!). He’s just shy. He’ll be all okay and chirpy with you one day and the next day he’ll be running away from you. But above all, he’s a sensible guy. He’s travelled with me for the last four years. He was an assistant on Tiger Zinda Hai, Tubelight, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan. I told him that he needn’t be a full-fledged director’s assistant, and that he should just come to the set and observe. Whatever he had to learn about acting he picked it up in film school. But I wanted him to come to set and learn the process of filmmaking. In these four to five years, he has learnt from everyone he has interacted with. He picked up lessons from the cinematographers, directors, technicians, other actors and me, too. He is a very keen learner. He doesn’t like to meddle in things, he doesn’t like to take centre stage, he prefers to stay reserved and that allows him to observe and learn. I feel, the ability to observe your surroundings and absorb your experiences is a very important skill for actors. That’s the best quality any actor can have.

With the cut-throat competition in the film industry, today, is it more challenging for newcomers to survive and establish themselves?
Today, it’s like the law of the jungle out there. Everyone is eating into everything. During our time, people used to start thinking about stardom only after their films became hits. But today, with the social media and the constant attention on actors, new kids are turned into stars long before their first film has even released. It’s difficult for young actors, because they need to maintain focus, 24 x 7. One little slip-up and their image and career prospects can be lost forever. When we were young, kisi ki majaal nahi thi poochne ki, ‘script kahan hai?’ People would shoot you down before you’d even finish the question. But actors today are sensible and more cautious, because they know there’s so much at stake. They weigh their pros and cons, they find out everything about the director and his team. They want to hear the entire script, they want to meet the producer and know every little creative aspect of the film. They will not shy away from going that extra mile to promote the film on every possible medium, because they know... this is it. There’s nothing bigger than the film, that’s what makes or breaks them. Today, actors need to be sorted and have their head on their shoulders.

Your films have always had strong family values. Does that stem from the fact that you too come from a family that has strong bonds and connections?
I always remember this one incident that happened on the first floor of Galaxy Apartments (his home) many years ago. The entire family was watching an English film together, and suddenly the actors started kissing. It was a proper lip-lock. One head turned to the right, the other to the left, someone started staring at the ceiling, someone at the floor, a few people didn’t know where to look. Dad gave out a loud ‘ahem!’ Someone called out for the house help to get tea for everyone. Every single member of the family got distracted and the moment the kissing scene stopped, the whole family got back to watching the movie. That’s why I feel, you don’t need such stuff in a film. You don’t need these gimmicks to make the film work. I’m not saying these gimmicks don’t work in favour of films, I’m just saying they’re not a necessity in cinema. In my first film, when Sooraj Barjatya was directing me, I remember I had to apply a balm on Bhagyashree’s feet and I did that while shutting my eyes. I don’t think sex or skin can sell a film. That’s not my way of making movies.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 30, 2018)

Afghanistan-born Warina Hussain has grown up on both Bollywood and Hollywood movies, but she decided to try her luck in Hindi cinema. She came to India and started modelling for print ads and commercials before she took to acting. And now, she is all set to make her debut in Salman Khan Films’ LoveYatri alongside Aayush Sharma. Here, the newbie talks about bagging her debut project and Dabangg Khan’s advice to her.

LoveYatri is releasing on October 5. What are the thoughts going through your mind?
I am counting the days and as the date is nearing, I am thinking about the first day of release. The thought uppermost in my mind is logon ko kaisa lagegi. We have worked on the product for one year and now we’re putting it out there. Examwali feeling hai and I’m waiting for the results!

How did you bag the movie?
I have been a model for the past six years and when I shifted to Mumbai in 2014, I started doing print ads and commercials. I thought of getting into acting and trained in the Mumbai branch of The New York Film Academy. I also did a couple of workshops and learnt Bollywood dancing. I got to know about the auditions of LoveYatri and that’s when my life took a huge turn.

Your co-star Aayush Sharma is also debuting in the movie, and he has a filmi connection. Weren’t you apprehensive of being overshadowed?
While I don’t have any filmi connection, I have never thought about these things. I have what he has — the attention, the care they provide, etc. We are getting launched together and the makers never made me feel it is Aayush’s launch. In fact, they have always said it is an Aayush, Warina and Abhiraj (Minawala, director) launch. There is a plus point debuting with other newcomers. All of us put in our 100 per cent, we were open to each others’ ideas and were walking through the journey of LoveYatri hand-in-hand. Also, when Salman sir tweeted my picture, it was trending. Everybody knew my name and started following me on Instagram. I think we are all on the same platform.  

What kind of training did you undergo for the role?
Aayush obviously had on-field training of four years (he assisted on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan, 2015 and Sultan, 2016). I had experience in front of the camera, but despite doing workshops I underwent a training process of six months. I used to go for Scooty driving classes, acting workshops and learn ballet since my character is a ballet dancer. After that we would rehearse the scene again and do the reading with Abhiraj sir. I also had to go to classes for Hindi diction. But learning garba was the most challenging part because I’m not a formally-trained dancer.

Did Salman Khan give you any advice? What was his reaction after seeing your work?
Salman sir was shown the rushes after we finished the Gujarat schedule. I was not there when he saw them, because I am scared of watching my work. There’s a huge critic in me and even on the sets, I am constantly thinking, did I say this dialogue correctly, am I looking fine? But Salman sir said all the three of us had surpassed his expectations. After that I became a little more confident. Also, if he likes your work he just shows a thumbs- up. He has been advising and guiding me about my career, life and a lot of things. But the one close to my heart is when he told the three of us that we should put our heart, soul and mind into this project as the film will decide our future and career. It shows that he sees the three of us in the same light.

You said you have to take classes for Hindi diction, but you seem to speak the language well?
Yes, I can understand even better. However, I needed to work on the diction. I have to tell you a funny incident that happened at the beginning of the shoot. Since Aayush and Abhiraj had seen my introduction video, in which I said I am from Afghanistan, they thought I didn’t know Hindi. So, they were discussing among themselves, “Yeh toh gori (foreigner) hai, Hindi bol payegi?” After sometime Aayush came to me and asked me, ‘Do you need anything? I told him, ‘Diet coke milega?’ He was shocked that I knew Hindi (laughs).

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 27, 2018)

After assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan, Aayush Sharma is gearing up for the release of his acting debut LoveYatri. With Salman Khan launching him, the newbie couldn’t have asked for a better beginning. He is aware of the privilege and candidly says, “If you take away ‘SKF’ from my film, you wouldn’t have talked to me or interviewed me.” And, while his fate at the box-office will be decided on October 5 when the film releases, Aayush has already caught the audience’s attention for his dancing skills in songs like Rangtari and Chogada. Here, he talks about making the transition from an assistant director to an actor, Bhai’s advice to him and more.

Did you always want to be an actor?
No. I never thought I would be an actor. When I came to Mumbai to study at Jai Hind College, I thought I would open a restaurant, but my friends would say I should be an actor. At that time, I thought of doing a prime-time TV show, as it will be a good way to stay in Mumbai and my parents could watch me on the the small screen back home. But I never went for auditions to get work. I was staying in Bandra and happened to meet Arpita (Khan), then Sohail (Khan) and Salman bhai. They, too, told me I should try for acting as they believed I had the potential.

Was that when you started training?
I had neither participated in the school assembly, nor was I into any theatre group. To be honest, I was too shy. So, I had to start from ground zero. I started assisting on films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), Sultan (2016) and Tubelight (2017). That was really an eye-opener on how movies are made. I also learnt the technical aspects.

Once you have assisted on a movie, you start respecting the hard work that goes behind making one. When Bajrangi Bhaijaan became a blockbuster and won critical acclaim, somewhere I felt it is my film. I thought I should be a part of this profession and do one movie that people will remember me for.

How did LoveYatri happen?
I was assisting on Sultan where Abhiraj (Minawala) was the first AD. He wanted to make his directorial debut and was working on a film written by Narenbhai (Bhatt). He narrated LoveYatri’s idea to Salman bhai saying I could do the film. Bhai liked the plot and asked him to work on it. During Tubelight, I heard the script and I loved it. I found it to be a good blend of content and commerce. You can’t control the box office, but you have to be proud of the content you are going to bring out. They were looking for a studio to produce it when Bhai said, ‘I want it to be an SKF film’.

What tips did you take from Salman Khan?
Every time I was on Salman bhai’s set, I tried to ask him about acting and he would say, ‘Acting is a reflection of what you are in real life, the day you try to act, you will ham’. He told me to keep observing and marking his work before his take. He did not even come on the sets on the first day of my shoot.

Instead, early in the morning at 7 he sent me a message saying: Feel every line, every emotion, every character. You don’t need to be Aayush anymore, you need to be the character. For me, it was too much to process! All these years, he didn’t give me any advice and suddenly so many things (laughs).

How was your first day on the sets?
I was excited, but also nervous. I was still getting used to the idea that from an assistant, I was now an actor. It was new, more so because many people feel that I am here because I am related to someone. Now, I needed to give such a shot that the ADs say, ‘He deserves to be here’. That was playing on my mind along with the advice that Bhai had given me. But it was a smooth day, we started with the song Tera Hua. At the end of the day, when I messaged Bhai about it, he texted back a sweet message saying, ‘Insha Allah! Beta best of luck, I hope from this day onward, you never have a day off and spend every day in front of the camera’.

With all the talk about nepotism, do you feel you are the privileged one?
I believe there are some people whose talent hasn’t got due credit and are waiting for a platform like this. I am lucky to have it, but more than that, I am fortunate to have the guidance of someone experienced. Many people are not guided properly and are wasting their time doing something else. There is also a difference between the box-office collection of debutants who have no i connections as opposed to those who have them. If a film with newcomers doesn’t have a big banner attached to it, it doesn’t get marketed well. Realistically, they don’t get that kind of publicity or screens. If you take SKF away from LoveYatri, who will talk to me or interview me? Of course, it helps. An outsider has to figure his own way out.

At the same time, I am as new and as raw as Warina (Hussain, his co-star) is. I was not born into a film family, but because I have a certain background, people will look at me, and say, ‘Let’s criticise him’. But in case of Warina, whatever she does, they will say, fine, it’s her first film. So, it works both ways, there are advantages and disadvantages. My only hope is that when people see the film and my work they say, ‘He deserves to be an actor’. That will be my victory.

Usually, newcomers tend to hide their marriage or family from the media as it may affect their image...
My wife has been my support system. I got married into a famous family, and I don’t think hiding your wife or child will help in your career. If you are good at your work, married or single doesn’t matter. At the end of the day people will look at your work. My family is my motivation. I believe Arpita is known as Salman Khan’s sister, I want to work hard enough that she is proud to be called Aayush Sharma’s wife. My family is the source of my strength.

Were you upset when the title was changed from LoveRatri to LoveYatri?
I have been living with the title LoveRatri for the past one year, so when they changed it I said, ‘No, that is my identity, you can’t take it away from me’. But I respect people’s emotions, it’s not important what the film is called. I have four hit songs, people know me as the Chogada boy, not LoveRatri boy. The producer’s intention is to launch three careers with the film, so when some people peacefully told us to change the title before it became a media spectacle, we did it. We made it with a lot of pyaar and hope that pyaar continues.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; September 22, 2018)

He comes from a family that’s deeply rooted in politics, and he’s married into a khandaan that is a mighty force in Bollywood. The moment Aayush Sharma tied the knot with Salman Khan’s sister Arpita, he came into the filmi fold. But he confesses that filmdom is something that he is still warming up to. Yes, he has bhai’s muscle power backing him, but the young and restless actor knows that it comes with hefty expectations and he will be pitted against nothing but the best. With his dream debut Loveyatri, directed by Abhiraj Minawala, inching closer to release, garba boy (that’s what he is lovingly called by many now) Aayush, is all fired up and ready to take the leap. In an interview with BT, he talks about his childhood days of growing up in a political family, his relationship with the ‘Khan’daan, and how he hopes that when he’s finally on the big screen, all that will matter is the performance he puts out there. Read on…

You hail from a family with a political background (son of politician Anil Sharma) and at some point, you were handling the family business, too. When were you bitten by the acting bug?
I was always a huge movie buff; I liked watching Bollywood movies over Hollywood movies. I bunked classes to watch movies. I loved watching Govinda sir’s and Shah Rukh bhai’s films. When I moved to Mumbai, the thought of being an actor was just an amateurish idea. I gave a few auditions, after which I felt that this isn’t my cup of tea. The idea came back to me because of Sohail bhai (Arpita’s brother). We would train at the same gym, where he noticed me and said that he has a film (My Punjabi Nikaah) in mind, which he wanted to direct and that I would be a good fit for it. That day, when I came home, I said to myself that this is more than I could ask for. After that conversation, nothing really happened. Then I met Arpita and we grew close, and much later, when we decided to get married, the topic came up again. Arpita had planned a meeting between Salman, Sohail, Arbaaz and me, and when Sohail saw me, he turned to Salman and told him that I was the same boy that he had met at the gym. They went into a room, discussed something and when they came out, Salman bhai laughed and said, ‘Arpita, you have ruined his career. Sohail wanted to make a film with him and now that he is getting married to you, he has to train to be an actor’.

But at that stage, Salman didn’t have any plans of launching you, right?
Bhai said he won’t launch me, but he will train me to step into the industry. He always told me, ‘I should feel that you are ready to be an actor. If you aren’t, then I won’t work towards it’. Even when I started working as an AD, he told me that if I didn’t feel connected with the world of movies, I should go back to whatever I was doing. So, for four years, I did the drill. I trained every day (dancing, acting and horse riding) and was on set to understand the workings of the film industry. It is funny that I have the pressure of being from the industry, but actually, I am not from the industry. My director Abhiraj Minawala nurtured the idea of making Loveyatri while he was an AD on Sultan (2016). I was also assisting on that film, and he discussed it with Salman bhai and me. But back then, bhai told him that I needed time and I wasn’t ready. Only when we felt that we are ready to take it on, bhai heard the script, loved it and gave us a go ahead.

You have been married for over 3.5 years to Arpita. Was it intimidating marrying into the big Khan family?
Yes, at first it was intimidating, as I was trying to understand the whole family and get familiar with them. Now, I tell my father that I am blessed to have such a strong family in Mumbai. In Arpita’s family, everyone stays close by and they celebrate everything together. When we decided to get married, it wasn’t just the approval of Salim uncle or Salman bhai that mattered. The whole family’s approval was important. They were so warm and welcoming. I am closest to my mother-in-law (Salma Khan); she’s like my own mom. If she knows that I am shooting in the city, she never forgets to ask me if she should send me khaana. Loveyatri is not just my film; everyone in the family is involved in some way or the other. The film is like a family project, it’s like a home video that we have created together.

You come from a family that is deeply rooted in politics, but with your keen interest in movies, were you the odd one out?
While growing up, we didn’t discuss Bollywood at home. Our dinner conversations were mostly about politics. We were fairly reserved when it came to watching movies. In fact, if we went for a movie, it had to be for a special occasion, like a birthday treat, where dad took us for dinner and then to a movie theatre. It was a family tradition. I never thought I would be able to tell him that I wanted to be an actor, as I knew that he would be shocked by it. Being a politician, he never interacted with actors and he didn’t know anyone from the film industry. He wondered how this idea even occurred to me. When I actually told him about it, he was silent for a few minutes and then said, ‘This industry is not for us, we are very simple people. To be an actor, you have to be tall, extremely good-looking and well built, and you are nothing like that’ (laughs!). Well, he has not watched too, many movies, and his knowledge of cinema comes mostly from the films that he’s seen in the past. He even went ahead and told me, ‘In our times, Dharam ji (Dharmendra) was an actor. You are nothing like Dharam ji, so you shouldn’t try your luck in acting’.

In a way, you grew up in the public eye. You probably didn’t have the paparazzi following you everywhere, but political families also draw a fair amount of public and media attention.
The people of Mandi are very close to us. If you go to our house there, you will see that it’s always full of people. We have very little privacy and we have literally grown up with the people of Mandi. It’s a small town, and politics is a very big thing there, so everyone follows us closely and feels involved. I have fond memories of the time my dad and grandfather would contest for elections. As kids, we would go around carrying posters and paste them on walls. We would even carry badges in our backpack and hand them out to people.

Cut to Bollywood, life in showbiz is very different. After Arpita came into your life, you probably got a whiff of what it is like being in full media glare. And now that you are making your debut as an actor, people’s interest in you will only get stronger. Are you warming up to all the attention?
Politics and movies are very different worlds. In politics, you don’t live a flamboyant life. Even if you are like that, you can’t live like that. As a kid, my dad would tell me, ‘Don’t talk too much, listen more’. In Bollywood, it is important to talk. It took me a lot of time to get used to it. Initially, when I would go to parties with Arpita, I would tell her not to leave my hand, as I felt out of place. On seeing actors at parties, I would ask myself… Should I say hello? If I do, will I come across as a fan? I had so many such thoughts running through my head. Till date, I can’t hang around at a Bollywood party for more than 45 minutes. I have a timer, I quickly do my round of hellos, and then I am out of there.

Has marriage and fatherhood brought about a change in you?
When you are a bachelor, your responsibilities are different. You can take risks and also take life slightly easy. Marriage has made me very responsible. I am extremely lucky that I have a huge support system in Arpita. Being from the industry, she understands the profession and she is fully aware of the hard work that goes into it. She never tells me to skip my training so that we can go out for dinner, instead, she pushes me to work harder. We have a kid, Ahil, so I have to work hard for all of us. It will be a proud moment for me when Ahil will go to school and be known not just as Salman Khan’s nephew, but also as Aayush Sharma’s son. I will be happy to achieve that status in my life.

Talking about all the blood and sweat that goes into becoming an actor, in an interview with BT, Salman had voiced his opinion on the same subject. He had said, ‘Actor banna halwa nahin hai, it’s a lot of hard work. Today, they have to get trained for it and understand what it takes to make a movie. The journey is long... one or two years go by as an assistant director’. In spite of having Salman Khan as your mentor, you waited for long to reach this point; did you ever have second thoughts?
There were days when I thought that I wasn’t good at it. The first day when I was on set, I called Arpita and said, ‘I don’t think that I can be an actor’. Look at the number of people who are dependent on me to do my job well. It’s not just about my career, but so many people’s careers that are riding along with mine. Arpita was supportive and so was Salman bhai. He told me that I will be compared to the best, and that I won’t get any leeway. I know it and I fully understand that. I wasn’t born into a film family, but I know that I will be considered a filmi kid, and I will have to work harder than the others. Bhai clearly explained, ‘I lucked out, that doesn’t mean you will, too. Your hard work will take you places. You have to be grateful for every day that you are on set. I can launch you and give you the first film, but I can’t act and dance for you. If that was the case, everyone who I launched would have become a superstar. It is your destiny, after all’. I am glad that I got a reality check so early on in my career.

When a superstar like Salman Khan takes you under his wing, it is a privilege, but it also comes with immense pressure, doesn’t it?
Yes, there is huge pressure, and I also know that there are a lot of people who are wondering whether I deserve to be an actor. There are conversations around it, but I don’t look at it that way, else it will break my spirit. Today, I have a platform like Loveyatri, I don’t know if I deserve a film like this, but I feel so fortunate to be a part of it. I am lucky that people are keen to see me on screen. In a year, there are many movies that release, but don’t get the kind of attention and traction they deserve. The moment I am on the big screen, I’ll be on my own. Then, it will be about how good or bad I am. People will forget who I am related to.