With Salman Khan bearing expenses of 25,000 daily wagers, father Salim Khan tells mid-day how Khan-daan is taking care of their staff and SKF employees as well
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 30, 2020)

Over the past 10 days, as this paper continuously chronicled the plight of daily-wage workers due to Coronavirus lockdown, a singular aspect came to the fore — the employees' unflinching faith that Salman Khan will stand by them in their hour of need. The superstar hasn't let them down, and has decided to bear expenses of 25,000 daily wagers. Not only that, the actor's father — noted screenwriter Salim Khan — tells mid-day that his sons have lent financial assistance to their staff at their respective studios.

The veteran says, "I don't want to comment on [Salman's contribution to the 25,000 workers] as I don't know much about it. But our family has a principle — hamara paisa jahan jaaye, wahan dikhna chahiye aur kisike kaam aana chahiye. [Since the past fortnight], we have been arranging meals for our building and Salman's security guards. We must all look after our staff."

A source from Salman Khan Films (SKF) reveals that as soon as the suspension of shoots was announced mid-March, the studio dispersed the monthly salary to its employees. "Salman is also taking care of the ration of those at his studio who are in dire need." Arbaaz Khan, who runs his eponymous studio, says, "We have asked all employees to stay home; their salaries are taken care of as are their other needs."

Meanwhile, Ashok Dubey, general secretary, FWICE, reveals that the top brass of SKF reached out to the organisation on Saturday, enquiring about the daily wagers. "I informed them that they earn about Rs 15,000 a month. They said that Salman wants the account details of the 25,000 workers, and he will sponsor them. Salman Bhai also contributes Rs 5 lakh every month, thus taking care of their medical expenses." Ashoke Pandit, chief advisor, adds, "Salman and Salim ji have always helped the industry."


Bollywood's Generous Act
Besides Akshay Kumar who contributed Rs 25 crore to the PM CARES Fund, Varun Dhawan donated Rs 30 lakh, and Randeep Hooda and his entrepreneur friend contributed Rs 1 crore. Rajkummar Rao made a contribution to the PM's relief fund as well as the state government's relief fund. Hrithik Roshan and Kapil Sharma also did their bit for the cause.

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 2, 2020)

Of the many ambitious projects in the works in Bollywood, we hear that Salman Khan's production house is developing a three-part franchise based on Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones series.

A source close to the development informed mid-day, "Salman's team is using the popular action hero [only] as a reference point. The film will be inspired from the original, but it's not a direct adaptation." While Ford plays a professor of archaeology and adventure seeker, the source informs Salman's character and profession will be altered in the film.

"Several characteristics will be changed. There is a conscious effort to not replicate any of Salman's trademark characters—Chulbul Pandey [Dabangg] or Tiger [Tiger Zinda Hai]," adds the source. The hero leads a dual life, explains the sources and says, "He leads an exciting parallel life, which is a way to escape the dullness of his own existence. But the daddy-issues of the original character will be retained."

Upon Khan's approval, the film will go on floors later in the year.

Meena Iyer (DNA; April 12, 2019)

Salman Khan makes his superstardom look so easy. His approach to media interactions appears cavalier. You only hear people talking about how he arrives late and how his coterie gets bigger each day; almost isolating him from the ‘real’ world. Yet, when you meet the man himself, his conversation only veers around being focussed, being real and, of course, being human. You come back thinking, ‘Yaar, perceptions were all wrong. Salman definitely walks the talk.’ Over to SK:

Once, you seemed the least celebrated of the three Khans — Aamir, Shah Rukh and you. Now, you’re the biggest. Have you ever given this a thought?
Not really. By the grace of God, the films that I’m choosing have done well. But it is not as if Aamir or Shah Rukh are choosing bad or worse films. There are times when the movies I’ve chosen, to the best of my knowledge, haven’t worked. And then one film works and you’re back. SRK is a legend, as is Aamir. A bad movie here or there may happen, but they will always come back. Actually, tension toh mera hai. Aamir and SRK know their craft. I’ve heard people saying they’re not so sure about me (laughs)!

Stop kidding, what are you tense about?
My thing is that I’m surviving on mediocre talent and luck. Actually, I don’t know what I’m surviving on, but I’m surviving. Mere ups and downs toh hote rahenge. By the grace of God, hamari fan following itni tagdi hai. There’s also Akki (Akshay Kumar), Hrithik (Roshan) and Ajay (Devgn).

Then, there are the new boys — Tiger (Shroff), Ranveer (Singh) and Varun (Dhawan). Everyone is so good that all of us will also have to, you know, be on our toes.

All the stalwarts have stuck with you. Sooraj Barjatya wants you, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sajid Nadiadwala and Aditya Chopra have you. Surely, you must be doing something correct because these guys couldn’t have chosen wrong.
Like I said, luck hai, destiny hai. Maybe there is something they see that I don’t. Anyway, what they look for in a hero is a mystery. The audience wants to spend money to see my films on screen, they watch them on satellite television also and they want to see me in my shows. I don’t know yeh kab tak chalega, but jab tak chal raha hai, my idea is to give my best, no matter what problems I go through, physically or mentally.

Agar humko yeh formula pata hota, ki kya karne se kya chalega, then what should I say? We would be taking everything for granted. We thought that Tubelight (same combination of Kabir Khan and me) will be a beautiful film, after our much-appreciated superhit, Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). But for an Eid release, the public wanted to see something happy. In Tubelight, they all cried. They were like, ‘What the hell! Eid kharaab kar diya!” (laughs). They went into depression. Today, when the film comes on digital and satellite, people love it and wonder why it didn’t work. It did a business of over Rs 110 crores in the domestic market alone. So, even my ‘flops’ notch numbers. Bahuton ki filmein utni bhi nahin chali. So, I’m fortunate that itni badi hit film bhi flop maani jaati hai. I’m grateful for the blessings.

How ambitious are you for Salman Khan Films?
Ambitious, I can’t say. But one thing is clear in my mind. I just want to make clean, entertaining films. I’m constantly wondering if I’m doing the right thing or the wrong thing because there are bizarre trends today. The kind of films that are being made (especially some of the stuff jo web pe aa raha hai) are shocking! I can’t even watch the stuff, but people are watching it. I understand that is also private viewing, phone pe, laptop pe. Akele dekhne mein bhi humko thoda aisa lagta hai ki yeh kya ho raha hai. Because hamari upbringing hai, parents hain... after our first film, we moved straight into the Barjatya family zone. Abhi bhi when a kissing scene comes on screen, we’re all awkward. See it whichever way you want, but I will put my heft behind clean cinema.

So, instead of ones and twos coming in to watch movies, I’d rather want our banner to have films where people know they will have the naughtiness, humour, action and romance, but all of us can watch them together. That’s what I want to keep it to. Aur agar koi picture ‘A’ rated hogi, then it will be because of action. I’m not for kissing and nudity in films at all.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! completes 25 years this August. How does that feel?
I swear it feels like yesterday. Pranutan (Bahl), my latest protégée from Notebook, was born in front of us. I worked with her mother in Saajan (1991), and with her father, Mohnish (Bahl), in so many films. Suddenly, she was all grown up and wanted to be a lawyer. Then I got a call from Monya (Mohnish) that she wanted to act in movies. She auditioned for us, three to four times and I liked her. I will need lawyers in my life (laughs), but Pranutan’s calling was films.

Next, you will launch your bodyguard, Shera’s son?
Yes, after them (Pranutan and Zaheer Iqbal), it’s Tiger, Shera’s son. He’s been working hard for his debut. Once he is as good or better than some of the existing boys, we’ll start.

Newcomers have it tough today, don’t they?
You have to take into account that the boys have to dance and do action better than the existing heroes. Otherwise, they will find it hard. Hamare time mein, it was comparatively easier; yet, we found even that difficult. But now, it’s actually very tough. Today, you have got to be better than the existing actors. It requires a lot of time, hard work, patience and dedication, which all these guys have shown. Then, of course, it depends on the movie, the vibe of it, the acceptance of fans and movie-goers. As I said earlier, what they see in the hero, no one knows. Sometimes, the film doesn’t do well, but the hero is accepted. And sometimes, the movie does very well, but the hero is not accepted.

Speaking of your films, you have two releases lined up this year.
Yes, this year, I’ll have Bharat on Eid and Dabangg 3 in December. Next Eid, Inshallah (God willing), we’ll have Inshallah (smiles).

With action playing a crucial role in Akshay's period drama Kesari, director Anurag on how they roped in Mad Max stunt coordinator to visualise battle sequences
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 21, 2019)

"The Battle of Saragarhi is a well-known chapter of our history," starts off Anurag Singh, the director of Akshay Kumar-starrer Kesari. The Karan Johar production is a retelling of the 1897 battle that saw 21 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army fight the 10,000-strong troop of Afghani tribesmen in the Saragarhi outpost.

Considered one of history's greatest last stands, the subject had caught the attention of many filmmakers. "I was approached by Salman Khan Films, which was co-producing the drama along with Dharma. They later opted out and Dharma took over. This film fell in my lap."

Since a major portion of the film takes place on the battlefield, roping in an experienced action director was crucial. The team found their man in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015; top left) stunt coordinator Lawrence Woodward. Singh says that despite being distanced from Indian history, Woodward was able to employ the battle techniques that were prevalent in the 19th century.

"He did extensive homework on the warfare techniques brought in by the British. He knew how to handle the old guns that we had sourced for the film. He took a while to adjust to the Indian working model because this was his first Bollywood film. Between him and Parvez bhai [Sheikh, action director], they took the action notches above what was conceptualised."

The period drama, he says, is a product of several months of research. "We referred heavily to Gurinder Pal Singh Josan's book [The Epic Battle of Saragarhi]. He researched the subject for 25 years and was able to locate the families of the 21 martyrs. Amarinder Singh's research on Saragarhi and The Defence of the Samana Forts came handy."

Singh credits Kumar for being a pillar of strength as he gave shape to his Bollywood debut. "Senior actors like Akshay bring heft to such parts and stories. He added fervour [to his character] over and above what was written on paper."

DNA (September 29, 2018)

Bollywood’s numero uno star Salman Khan is a busy man. Besides his acting and hosting assignments, he is also focussing on production. His banner SKF (Salman Khan Films) is ready with the fresh, young romance LoveYatri with Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain in the lead. The movie opens in cinemas on October 5 and SK is personally ensuring that the overseas delivery process is efficiently handled. He has been hand-holding director Abhiraj K Minawala throughout. Besides this, the actor is also producing Abbas Ali Zafar’s Bharat, in which he shares screen space with Katrina Kaif. He is expected to fly out for the next schedule later today.

The superstar has pulled out all stops and is making sure his company gets into production 24/7, focussing on film and television. A source says, “Salman is venturing into web content. He has penned three to four plots, which he has asked a team of expert writers to develop further. He wants the content to be universally appealing. Salman wants kids from the ages of four and above to be able to watch it online. He believes in self-censorship and his motto is to make entertaining fare that families can watch together.”

Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha announce Dabangg 3 to mark 8 years of franchise
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 11, 2018)

Salman Khan had recently announced that he will kick off work on brother Arbaaz Khan’s production Dabangg 3 soon after completing Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat that also features Katrina Kaif, Disha Patani, Jackie Shroff, Tabu and Sunil Grover. While the Eid 2019 release is expected to wrap up by January, buzz is the third instalment of Dabangg will go on the floors immediately after. Prabhu Dheva has taken over as director from Abhinav Kashyap and Arbaaz who directed parts one and two respectively.

On Monday, which marked eight years since the release of the first Dabangg film, the franchise’s leads, Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha, announced that they are ready to hit the theatres next year with Part 3. “Aaj 8 saal ho gaye Dabangg ko... thank u for all the appreciation and love from Rajjo and Chulbul Pandey... see u in Dabangg 3 next year,” the 52-year-old actor, who plays cop Chulbul Pandey in the comedy franchise, informed, while Sona, who made her debut with the film, chimed in, “Eight years of Dabangg, eight years of Chulbul and Rajjo, eight years of me doing what I love the most! Thank you Salman, Arbaaz, Abhinav for making me realise my calling… see you in Dabangg 3 next year!”

Dabangg released in September 2010, followed by a sequel in 2012. Mirror reached out to Arbaaz, who has produced the franchise, for details, but he chose not to respond, sharing Salman’s post online instead.
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Unlike previous instalments that were produced by brother Arbaaz, Dabangg 3 likely to be made under Salman Khan’s banner
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 11, 2018)

Apart from his commitments to Bigg Boss and Bharat, Salman Khan is expected to reprise his role of Chulbul Pandey for Dabangg 3.

While fans of the superstar will be treated to the familiar universe of desi Robin Hood and his Rajjo, the third part may see a change behind the scenes. It has been heard that the Khan brothers, Salman and Arbaaz, are contemplating making the third instalment of the franchise under the banner, Salman Khan Films. The previous two parts, both runaway successes at the box office, were backed by Arbaaz Khan Productions.

A source informs, “Salman and Arbaaz are yet to decide which production house will bankroll the film. The brothers have not been able to have a meeting regarding this owing to Salman’s hectic schedule. They intend to sit down and pursue a discussion once he gets some time off from the shoot of Bigg Boss and Bharat.”

It has already been announced that Prabhu Dheva will take over the directorial baton from Arbaaz for this part. The insider adds that the brother duo hopes to have clarity on the subject of production by this week, failing which the project may not roll later this month as scheduled. “If the details are not worked out this week, the project may be pushed to early next year.”

Founded in 2014, Salman’s banner has produced several films in the past, including the blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and the recent Race 3. “From the marketing perspective, SKF has long standing deals with multiple parties, which will allow Dabangg 3 to be promoted and marketed widely.”

We texted Arbaaz who didn’t respond till the time of going to press.

BOMBAY TIMES (May 31, 2018)

Salman Khan, who has an eye for fresh talent, is all set to launch newcomer Zaheer Iqbal in Bollywood. Though Zaheer doesn’t hail from a film family, his father and Salman have known each other for years. It was by sheer chance that Salman spotted Zaheer at his sister’s wedding, where he was doing a stage performance. That’s when the superstar decided that he would introduce him in the movies.

Now, the wait has finally ended for Zaheer. Salman will launch him on the big screen in a love story set in Kashmir. Salman’s banner SKF (Salman Khan Films) is producing the film along with Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde of Cine1 Studios. The yet-to-be-titled film will go on floors in September this year and will be helmed by Nitin Kakkar, who directed Filmistaan (2014). The leading lady opposite Zaheer will also be a new face and is expected to be finalised shortly.

Salman, who has been training Zaheer for a while now, is confident of his abilities and has named him ‘Zahero’, and that’s what the film’s crew also calls him. Incidentally, the superstar personally did Zaheer’s photo shoot recently (see inset picture). The last time Salman picked up the camera to shoot an actor, it was for Hrithik Roshan. Says Salman, “Zaheer is made for the movies. He is a fantastic actor and a born star.” The film’s producers are equally confident. “Zaheer is here to stay for the long run,” says Murad Khetani, while Ashwin Varde adds, “His greatest asset is his honesty and that shows on screen.” Director Nitin Kakkar, who is looking forward to the journey ahead, shares, “Zaheer’s level of commitment towards his work is great. He will go a long way.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 6, 2018)

Salman Khan’s fate hangs in the balance with the ; odhpur court convicting him yesterday for poaching blackbucks in Rajasthan in 1998. While the legal drama unfolded in Jodhpur, it was a decisive day for his production house, Salman Khan Films (SKF), in Mumbai, as it made headway in their foray into television. It has been learnt that in a three-hour-long meeting yesterday, the producers greenlit seven shows that will be aired across various channels.

While it is known that Khan is producing a TV show based on wrestler Gama Pehelwan, a source reveals that the studio has consciously belong to different genres. “The team sanctioned a romantic series set in a college, a drama that delves into the problems of a joint family and a murder mystery. They also have a crime thriller that focuses on the lives of Mumbai’s police force,” says the insider, adding that a yesteryear actor has been roped in for the family drama.

It has been learnt that Khan, in the past few months, had also conceptualised a unique reality show and was keen that his production house give shape to it. “Salman wanted to launch a reality show that will hunt for new talent for his production house." The source adds that some of these shows have already been committed to networks like Star, Sony, Colors and Zee. Khan had already shot for a commercial announcing his venture into TV, before he left for the Da-Bangg The Tour. “The ad sees him giving a gist of what the shows will be about.”

The offerings are expected to go on air by November.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; January 5, 2018)

Months after reports of his apparent decision to launch a talent management firm hit headlines, Salman Khan tells mid-day he is indeed creating a “talent pool” for aspiring artistes.

The actor’s decision to part ways from a manager of nine years had fuelled speculation that he was venturing into creating a firm of his own. And now, referring to the rumours, Khan says, “Hiring new talent is necessary. There are so many people who come to the city and still don’t get a chance to work in films. Sometimes, even if they do land a film, they aren’t noticed enough. The idea is to create a talent pool and give everyone a fair chance to make it big in this world.”

Among Khan’s first finds will be a female actor for his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma’s Bollywood debut. A source says, “Salman plans to launch a female lead opposite Aayush for his debut venture, Loveratri. In order to get the work started, he has introduced an audition section on his app, BeingInTouch, where people can send videos showcasing their talents.”

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, says the source, will play a vital role in this venture, even taking the “final call” on giving the nod to aspirants. “There will also be seasoned casting veterans on board, who will spot talent and hone their skills.”

In order to connect with a wider audience, the team will encourage responses from social media platforms as well, says the source. Apart from scouting acting talent, Khan will also encourage works by musicians. “He will curate a music bank comprising works of aspiring composers. He may decide to use those songs in his forthcoming projects.”

Senior members of Khan’s production house, Salman Khan Films, will share their expertise to enhance this venture. “The team is finalizing a location for the creation of an office where members of SKF will take charge of the company’s new wing. Salman will overlook the day-to-day affairs.”

Given that Khan has played a vital role behind launching successful faces like Katrina Kaif and Sonakshi Sinha, this new venture comes as a natural progression. “As a superstar, he wants to create a new line-up of stars for the industry.”

This development comes close on the heels of the actor’s decision to open the doors of his production house to writers and directors, who wish to venture into tele production.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 21, 2017)

After producing the National Award-winning film Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Tubelight among others, Salman Khan’s production house, Salman Khan Films, is venturing into television and digital space. The superstar has opened the production house’s door to content writers and directors. A source close to the banner reveals that anyone who has a script or unique idea can drop it at Khan’s Bandra office, and his team will go through the ideas and take the final call.

The source says, “Apart from films, Salman is looking to venture into other avenues with his production house. Since he has been associated with the small screen [Bigg Boss] for many years, he understands the importance of other media. With this initiative, he wants to generate employment for those who deserve a platform.”

Confirming the development, Khan, whose next, Tiger Zinda Hai, hits screens tomorrow, tells mid- day, “We are looking into it [hiring new talent] actively.” The superstar adds that the idea behind the initiative is to give a platform to those who are truly deserving. “There are so many talented people, including some of my friends, but it’s not possible to get them work in films. Even if they do get to work in movies, their role isn’t significant. That’s why we have started a television production firm. We want to generate employment for these talented people, and give them an opportunity to make it big.”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 18, 2017)

After wrapping up the shoot of Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi next month, Kangana Ranaut will move on to her next project — a whodunit. While the actor is understandably excited about attempting the genre for the first time in her 11-year-career, the Shailesh R Singh-produced film has already hit a roadblock. Turns out, Ranaut has her heart set on a title that, as luck would have it, has been registered by Salman Khan.

A source from the production unit reveals, “Kangana and Shailesh ji are both keen to title their film Mental. They both think that it goes wonderfully with the story. But when the producers contacted Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association [IMPPA], they realized that the copyright of the name rests with Salman Khan Films [SKF]. Salman’s team had registered the title a few years back when they were toying with the idea of naming Kabir Khan’s then under-production film, Mental. However, they later changed it to Tubelight.”

The makers of the mystery drama have now reached out to Khan’s team, to procure the title. “They have also requested Kangana to have a word with Salman,” adds the source.

A source from SKF indicates that the superstar, known for his generous ways, may not hesitate to part with the title. “At the moment, there’s no project that could use the title. Unless Bhai has something in mind, he will allow Shailesh ji to go ahead with it.”

It may be recalled that Ranaut was one of the first actors approached to play Khan’s love interest in Sultan (2016). However, she had turned it down — she had then reasoned saying, “Sultan was a great character for a girl to play, [but] I didn’t see anything for me in that.” However, this hasn’t dampened the cordial equation the two share.

Singh remained unavailable for comment.

BOMBAY TIMES (October 9, 2017)

MID-DAY (October 4, 2017)

Tremors were felt in Bollywood when Salman Khan and his manager of many years, Reshma Shetty parted ways, earlier this year. Now, Amar Butala, chief operating officer of Salman Khan Films (SKF), has ended his association with the superstar. A key member of Khan's inner circle, Butala has joined Fox Star Studios as the chief acquisition officer. The announcement took Bollywood by surprise yesterday.

Tongues have been wagging about Butala's sudden decision to move away from the superstar, especially when Khan is slated to kickstart his next, Remo D'Souza's Race 3. He had supervised films like Hero (2015), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Tubelight (2017) during his stint with the company.

According to sources, Salman Khan is keen to put things in order on the production front after Tubelight's dismal performance at the box office earlier this year. Butala was earlier associated with UTV Studios and Balaji Pictures. He has also worked on films like Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai (2010) and Love Sex Aur Dhokha (2010). When contacted, Butala told mid-day, "Yes, I have joined Fox Star and will start working [with them] later this month."

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; August 9, 2017)

Several star kids are making their acting debut in the next year. One guy who stands apart is Aayush Sharma, as he is not a star son but the son-in-law of the Khan-daan.

His film will be launched by brother-in-law Salman Khan. Initially, Aayush was supposed to star in Raat Baaki with two other actresses, including Mouni Roy. But like After Hrs reported, that film has been put on hold. Says a source, “The team began looking for a fresh script for Aayush following financial and creative differences between the production house (Salman Khan Films) and the director Aditya Dhar.”

A romcom!
Now it is learnt that Salman is clear how they want to position and present Aayush. He has given the team the instructions. Says a source, “They want to present him in a commercial film that appeals to a larger target audience. The film they have now selected is a romcom that will cater to the youth as well as the family audiences. It should roll by year-end.”

Tentative title
The film also has a tentative title. Reveals our insider, “The movie is called Navratri for now because the script has a connection with the festival. But that isn’t the final title. It might change if Salman doesn’t approve of it. They are still scouting for better titles.”

New heroine!
Aayush won’t be paired opposite an established actress like it was originally planned. “The team is on the hunt for a pretty and talented newcomer to be cast opposite Aayush. If they don’t find the right actress for casting, they will look at someone who’s already acted in a few films. But it will mostly be someone from the younger lot,” adds our source.

Director undecided
Salman is also yet to lock the director to helm the project. “Salman is in Abu Dhabi for a 40-day schedule for Tiger Zinda Hai. Once he’s back, he will decide which director to approach to direct the film. After the fiasco with the previous director, they want someone, who will be more comfortable to work with, rather than having ego tussles.”