Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 2, 2020)

Singer-composer Wajid Khan, 42, of the Sajid-Wajid duo, passed away around midnight on Sunday following health complications from Coronavirus. He had undergone a kidney transplant last year.

Wajid belonged to a classical music gharana and was trained by his father, Ustad Sharafat Ali Khan, a tabla player. He made his debut with brother Sajid in a qawwali for the Salman Khan and Kajol-starrer Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya. Soon, the brothers became a favourite with the actor and worked with him in films like Hello Brother, Tere Naam, Garv, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Partner, God Tussi Great Ho, Wanted, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Veer, the Dabangg franchise, Jai Ho and as a guest composer on Ek Tha Tiger.

In an earlier interview, Wajid had informed that Veer was special for him as a lot of work went into creating tunes from the pre-Independence era. “We went to villages to record sounds of stones and glasses,” he had informed. Director Anil Sharma recalls how one night, Salman called him home and introduced him to Sajid-Wajid. “I was planning to go with multiple composers. When they played the tune of “Surili Akhiyon Wale” on the piano, I decided to go solo with them,” says Sharma, admitting that he’s still wowed by that music sitting.

Writer-director Rumy Jafry reveals that the music of David Dhawan’s Mujhse Shaadi Karogi was to be composed by Anu Malik, with Sajid-Wajid as guest composers. But eventually, they composed the entire album and Anu was left with just one song. He then worked with the duo in his directorial God Tussi Great Ho, which boasted of the chartbuster “Tujhe Aksa Beach”, picturised on Salman and Priyanka Chopra. The song was also supposed to be a part of the Mujhse Shaadi Karogi soundtrack, but since they already had a beach song, “Jeene Ke Hain Char Din” by Anu, Rumi asked Sajid-Wajid to bank it for him and use it in God Tussi Great Ho.

Anees Bazmee informs that the duo composed the title track of Welcome, fronted by Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, in less than 12 hours. “I was in Dubai and called them during lunch time asking for a title track. In two hours, they had a tune ready for me. Within a day they had the lyrics sorted and had recorded the song which contributed significantly to the film’s success,” admits the producer-director.

The composers gave more hits with Akshay Kumar, including Housefull 2 and Rowdy Rathore. Their other notable scores are Heropanti, Main Tera Hero, Himmatwala and Teri Meri Kahaani. They also recorded the album Deewana (1999), which was Sonu Nigam’s claim to fame with songs like “Ab Mujhe Raat Din” and “Deewana Tera”.

Sukhwinder Singh, who sung the Dabangg title track and “Lagan Lagi” from Tere Naam for the duo, reveals that they were among the very few musicians who didn’t use machines. “Wajid was a natural composer with a classical base who used instruments for sound. They waited 15 days to record ‘Lagan Lagi’ with me, one of Salman’s best,” he exults.

Just a few days ago, Sajid-Wajid’s single, “Bhai Bhai” with Salman was released. Radhe will be among Wajid’s last Bollywood scores. Atul Agnihotri, who is producing Radhe with Salman and Sohail, describes him as a beautiful person. The filmmaker has also worked with the duo in his home production, Hello. “His laughter and music will be missed by the family, in our life and movies. Sajid-Wajid shared a great bond with Bhai and have come up with a killer title track for Radhe. It’s straight from the heart, with lots of passion and goodness,” he signs off.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 17, 2019)

On August 15, 2003, Salman Khan’s Radhe stormed into the theatres. Director Satish Kaushik who’d gone for an Independence Day celebration to Jallianwala Bagh with Jeetendra and Anupam Kher, was disappointed when his flight was delayed and he missed the Delhi premiere. But by the next day, they knew their out-of-the-box gamble and a mainstream star had paid off. People loved Salman in Tere Naam, even when he was in a kachcha, locked up as insane. And as the bad boy, they loved his jeans, jackets and wayward locks.

“Barber shops, even in Pakistan and Afghanistan, have posters advertising the cut,” informs Satish, saying it was his hero’s brainwave. “He wasn’t happy while shooting in Hyderabad, so he dashed to Mumbai and returned after two days with his hair set, flipping it back in a way that was soon widely copied.”

Boney Kapoor had wanted to remake Vikram’s 1999 Tamil romance drama, Sethu, with Ram Gopal Varma. Then, the rights passed to Nitin Manmohan, before landing with Sunil Manchanda and Mukesh Talreja. During an ad film shoot, Sunil confided that no director wanted to do the film and Satish who’d seen the original and was free, jumped on board. He had three hits—Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai and Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai —all South remakes, behind him, and when he met Salman, he was told he’d been on their radar. They kicked off on a set in Film City within a fortnight since the actor had already shaved his head for the scenes in the asylum.

The film was earlier titled Radhe, but Satish recalled Jaan Tere Naam, which had released almost a decade ago, and suggested they drop ‘Jaan’ and call their film ‘Tere Naam’. They also got Himesh Reshammiya to compose the title track after a couple of songs had been recorded. “His ‘ Odhni’ and ‘ O Jaana’ along with the title track are playing even today,” Satish says.

He could have got any top heroine opposite Salman, but looking for a simple, pretty girl, he spotted Bhumika Chawla in a Telugu TV show while at Boney and Sridevi’s house. Boney admitted even he’d thought of her for the film. She’d done an ad with Sunil and lived behind Satish’s house. “She came with some pictures shot in a small studio and I knew I had found my Nirjara,” the director smiles. The original had the couple meeting at a tea stall, in the remake, they decided to set their scenes in a railway station canteen. “Bhumika suggested Devlali station and since not many trains halted there and we wanted them in the frame, we shot those scenes around the timetable of the trains.”

The film, based on the real-life story of Sethu director Bala’s friend, is considered one of Salman’s best performances despite his apprehensions that Radhe was not a good role model for youngsters. “There are boys like him in small towns and the audience connected with Radhe,” reasons Satish who learnt a lot from his hero and recently, during Bharat, they shared some fond memories.

He has a script for the sequel but has yet to take it to Salman. “Tere Naam is a milestone in our careers and I’m glad despite pressures we stuck to the original end. We might have made a little more money with a happily-ever-after love story, but it’s the tragic romances that live on in people’s hearts,” Satish says.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 9, 2019)

After Bharat in which he played the captain of a naval ship, Satish Kaushik is reuniting with Salman Khan in a different capacity. The actor has come onboard as producer for the Pankaj Tripathi-Monal Gajjar starrer Kaagaz, which marks Satish’s return to direction five years after Gang of Ghosts.

An excited Satish exults, “Salman is the film’s good luck charm and it all happened because of Bharat. One day, last August in Malta, we were discussing Salman’s role in promoting good cinema and talent and in the course of the conversation, he asked me what I was working on. I told him about Kaagaz and he loved the story. I asked him if he’d like to present the film and he immediately agreed. I narrated the script to him after returning to Mumbai, and we started filming in October. I am happy to inform that Salman Khan is on board as a producer.”

Set in UP, it is inspired by the real-life story of Lal Bihari, a farmer declared dead on paper when his relatives connived with a corrupt official to snatch his land. “I am directing a film after a long time and have tried to reinvent myself. Stree, Badhaai Ho and Article 15 are new-age cinema and Kaagaz belongs to that space. Pankaj has done a brilliant job. The film is very close to my heart and I am grateful to Salman for supporting my vision. After Tere Naam I couldn’t make another film with him, I am glad that we have collaborated on this one. When he saw the rushes, he reacted, saying, ‘Sir, iski copy nikalo,’” Satish added proudly.

And what’s the news on Tere Naam 2? “I know the audience is waiting for it, I have something on my mind, but I haven’t sounded out Salman yet. For now, it’s all about Kaagaz,” he signs off.

Satish Kaushik confirms part 2 is a love story; it rolls by year-end
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 23, 2019)

Salman Khan caught the eye, not only with a unique hairdo but also as Radhe Mohan, in Satish Kaushik’s 2003 directorial, Tere Naam, which also marked the Hindi film debut of Bhumika Chawla. Now, 16 years later, Mirror has learnt that a sequel of the romantic-drama will go on the floors by the year-end.

Radhe, a college rowdy, is serenading Bhumika’s Nirjara, when a ruthless attack renders him mentally unstable. Part one ended with the death of his ladylove and Radhe renouncing the world as he returns to the ashram he was sent to for treatment. “The sequel is a new story, Satish finished writing the script recently. It is a love story revolving around a gangster and will be set in North India,” informs a source close to the development, adding that the character names will be retained since they still resonate with the audience.

Given that Salman is now synonymous with Radhe, will he return in the sequel? “Satish and Salman share a great bond and have recently worked together in Bharat. But it is yet to be decided if Salman will feature in the film or a new cast will be brought on board,” said the source.

When Mirror reached out to Satish, he confirmed the news, stating, “Yes it’s true, I am making Tere Naam 2 which is a love story. That’s all I can say for now.”

Satish is currently busy with the post-production of the Pankaj Tripathi-starrer Kaagaz and will start work on Tere Naam 2 only after that wraps up. Mirror had earlier reported (January 4) that Salman is producing the film, which is set in Uttar Pradesh and is based on the real-life story of Lal Bihari, a farmer who was declared dead on paper after his relatives connived with a corrupt official to snatch away his land. 

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 21, 2019)

Satish Kaushik, who owns the Hindi remake rights of the Vikram and Suriya-starrer 2003 Tamil hit Pithamagan, is gearing up to take the film to the floors in the next few months. The filmmaker, who is producing the project, is currently on the lookout for a new director to take charge of the project.

Pointing out that he had directed Tere Naam, a Hindi remake of another Tamil hit, Sethu, Satish says that he likes its director Bala’s work. Incidentally, Bala had also directed Pithamagan. “I bought the rights of the film as it is an unusual and hardhitting story. My hands are full of acting assignments at the moment, so I won’t direct it,” he explained.

Pithamagan’s story was based on Nandhavanathil Oru Andi, the story of an undertaker written by writer Jayakanthan. Vikram won the National Film Award for Best Actor for his role as one of the two protagonists. The film was dubbed in Telugu and released as Sivaputrudu in 2004 and was remade in Kannada as Anatharu in 2007. 

Actor-filmmaker has a guest spot in his Tere Naam hero’s next with a ‘small yet significant’ character
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 5, 2018)

Satish Kaushik had directed Salman Khan in the 2003 romantic-drama Tere Naam and reunited with the actor for a special appearance in Rumi Jaffrey’s 2008 fantasy comedy God Tussi Great Ho. Now, Mirror has learnt that the actor-filmmaker features in Ali Abbas Zafar’s Eid 2019 release Bharat, in which Salman plays the lead.

“I play a merchant navy officer and will appear in an important sequence in the period drama. It’s a small but significant, quirky character with funny elements,” Satish informs, adding that Ali was his junior at Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College. “We were active in the theatre and the dramatics circuit at the time and during the shoot we would often reminisce about those days. When he offered me this part of a captain of the ship, I immediately took it on.”

Satish, who is currently busy with the shooting of his comeback directorial, a film titled Kaagaz that features Pankaj Tripathi as a farmer, was with the Bharat team during the Malta schedule. “Salman and I share an interesting equation in the film. We used to shoot on the ship for hours in the middle of the sea and would revisit our Tere Naam days and how I kept shooting the title song with him throughout the making of the film,” he laughs, admitting that every evening, he would take a few shots of Salman for the song. “Besides Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid-Wajid’s songs, Salman’s hairstyle from the film also became a rage.”

Returning to the present, he agrees that his curiosity about life on the high seas came in handy during the prep for Bharat. “My friend Rakesh Gupta’s brother Ashok has worked in the merchant navy and his job has always intrigued me. I would ask him questions every time we met. All those conversations helped me get into character during the shooting of this film,” Satish signs off. 

As told to Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 12, 2018)

My journey is probably the best example of ‘how life happens to you when you’re busy planning it’. And it reinforces my faith in destiny.

I was 14 when my sister and I participated in a small beauty pageant — Miss Dombivli — at a local shopping mall. I won the title of ‘Miss Photogenic’ and the choreographer of the show asked me if I wanted to be an ‘extra’ on a film set. A year later, I nudged into the ‘crowd’ while a party sequence was being filmed, along with the lead actors, models, dancers and other junior artistes. I was one of those girls in the Salman Khan-Rani Mukerji starrer, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. This was in 2000, and I was fascinated as I watched the cameras roll and the scene unfold.

When I look back on my journey, it’s easy to pinpoint the turning points. In 2001, choreographer Ganesh Acharya was filming a song sequence at a ground in Malad. Once again, I was just a face in the background but that day it rained heavily and the local trains stopped. Many of the dancers from Ganesh sir’s troupe could not make it to the shoot. An assistant asked the crowd manager, my boss, if he could spare any ‘extras’ who could shake a leg and I was picked up.

I’ve been dancing since I was a child, taking part in every school competition, but I was no professional. Yet, when the final formation was locked, I was in the artist’s block, dancing right behind Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta. The song was in their film Farz. After watching me, Ganesh sir’s assistant asked if I’d like to join their troupe. I agreed immediately and stayed on for nine years, gradually progressing from dancer to assistant choreographer and model.

I worked in Tere Naam, Masti, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Rang De Basanti… practically every other film that Ganesh sir choreographed. I even had my first girl-crush moment when I assisted on a montage for U Me Aur Hum. Ajay Devgn was directing Kajol, who is my most favourite actress. For the first time, I was intimidated on a film set, literally choking, while working around Kajol.



A career in choreography was going decently enough so far. Then, suddenly my father passed away. He was my hero and his words “keep making him proud” and “never let go of your dreams” kept playing on my mind. I couldn’t give up my job as an assistant choreographer because that was my only source of livelihood but I started taking on more modelling assignments and began auditioning for every assignment I came across. I didn’t have to wait too long for a break.

A filmmaker from the South called me and I took off to Mangalore for the shoot of his film, Vandae Maatharam. After the shoot I returned to Mumbai and had nothing scheduled for four months. Since I didn’t want to sit at home doing nothing, I asked Ganesh sir if I could get back to assisting him for a while. He was more than happy to give me my old job back.

By now, I had already assisted on a dozen Salman Khan songs and there was some familiarity with my childhood idol. When I joined the troupe for the title song of Dabangg in 2010 in Wai, Salman asked me why he hadn’t seen me while filming his last three-four songs. When I told him that I had started working as an actress in the South, he told Ganesh sir that he always knew I had so much more in me than just choreography. After the film wrapped up, Salman was kicking off the shoot of Bodyguard with Kareena Kapoor and offered me the role of her friend. I turned it down because I had another South film coming up and I didn’t want to be seen in a small role. The part eventually went to Hazel Keech. But Salman was livid and didn’t speak to me for the next year-and-a-half.

I went on to feature in the Kannada remake of Bodyguard and did two other films in the South. One day, while I was shooting in Bangalore, Salman got in touch with me and we spoke for a while. He asked me to meet him when I returned to Mumbai. This time, I told myself — no matter what the role was, I would say “yes” because no one gets a second chance with Salman Khan. He gave me the role of the leading lady in Jai Ho, my debut Bollywood film. I couldn’t have been happier! I owe my existence as an actress to Salman Khan and Sohail bhai. If someone had told the 14-year-old-Daisy Shah, who had dreams of becoming an air-hostess, that she’d be Salman’s leading lady some day, she would have laughed. Now, I believe that with hard work and a little bit of luck anything is possible!

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; December 20, 2017)

Salman Khan’s Tiger Zinda Hai, which releases this Friday, is a sequel to his hit espionage thriller Ek Tha Tiger. It has all the ingredients that go into a Dabangg Khan film — high-octane action sequences, romance, and emotion. Most importantly, the movie brings him back in his macho larger-than-life avatar, which is much-needed after his previous outing as the slow-witted man-child in Tubelight failed. Now, Salman vows that he is done with different kind of cinema. Interestingly, all his forthcoming films are sequels of tried-and-tested hits. Excerpts from our chat with the one-man industry...

Why did it take so long to come up with a sequel to Ek Tha Tiger?
The recall value of Ek Tha Tiger (ETT), Dabangg, and Wanted is so strong that it is easy to pull off a sequel, but that’s only if your script is better than the first one. Sequels should not be like proposals; they should have something definitive to convey. Until such time, you should not touch it. The sequel of ETT has taken five years, though it could have been made earlier. It’s not as if there were four-five scripts (and nothing happened), they came up with only one script and that was it. The first thing I heard about the sequel was its title. When they told me it was going to be called Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH), I said done!

Kabir Khan directed ETT, but Ali Abbas Zafar is helming TZH...
(Cuts in) Yes, the first thing I told Ali was that Kabir had invested a year-and-a-half and given two-and-a-half hours screen time to Ek Tha Tiger. He had set the characters so well — Tiger, Zoya, and Chinoy. All Ali had to do was to take it to the next level. He had to not only make a film completely different from Sultan, but also make Tiger bigger. I told him ‘you have to get the plot right, the mission right, everything else — romance, gaane-waane ho jayenge’. Everything has to be there and on a larger scale. He said, he has the best plot ever and everything fell into place.

You are reuniting with Katrina Kaif five years after Ek Tha Tiger. How is it working with her now?
Katrina is the most hard-working girl that I have come across. She is sincere, dedicated and sharp. Sometimes people are so beautiful that you don’t give them credit for their work. That’s what has happened with Katrina. Her beauty takes away from her work. While, sometimes with those who are not so great looking, you say, ‘kya kaam kiya hai’. People who are really good looking on screen, you say star hai.  For this film, I don’t see anyone other than Katrina fitting in. She trained for her action sequences for four hours every single day.

Your last release Tubelight in which you played a man-child did not do well. Looks like your fans don’t appreciate you moving away from your image...
Yes, I got to know that in the last film. But I have known this earlier because of Kyun Ki and Tere Naam. However, when the script of this film (Tubelight) came to me, this was my reading of the film — I thought times have changed. People want to see me in something different — they say ‘you take your stardom seriously’. Now, I have realised that my fans want to see me in the same kind of cinema that I have been doing. So, that is exactly what they are going to get. Starting with Tiger Zinda Hai, Bharat, Race 3, Dabangg 3 and the Kick sequel, I will give my fans exactly what they expect of me. Frankly, even I like doing these kind of films. In fact, I like watching these kind of films. Films like Tubelight, I can watch on TV — badi emotional hai rula deti hai. Main kyun jaaon theatre rone ke liye? Emotions will always be there — our films don’t work without them. But if the entire film is so emotional ki theatre ke bahar nikalte hi your eyes are swollen, I wouldn’t want to go there.

But Tere Naam did well..
Yes, the first half did well because the character was superb. So, they tried Kyun Ki after that, but I told them there was no emotion in this, ‘You are making a depressing film’, and that’s what happened. Similarly after Bajrangi Bhaijaan, they thought we should do something with emotions and Tubelight happened jaha pe bhai peet rahe hai. Woh accha nahi laga fans ko. But when you see these films on TV, you will like them. When Andaz Apna Apna released it didn’t do well, but when it is shown on TV nobody changes the channel, same thing with Hello Brother. These films still get high TRPs on TV. When you see Tubelight at home you will love it.

What went wrong with Tubelight according to you?
The release date was not right. On a festive release date (Eid) you should give a festive film only, and not make people cry in the theatre. My fans were trying to find moments where they can celebrate, throw coins and do dhamaal masti. But they didn’t get that! The film did well, but in my standards it was a disaster. Meri dua hai ke har ek ki aisi disaster ho!

Do you feel you can find a middle path and do films like Dear Zindagi and Secret Superstar where Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan respectively had small but strong roles?
I have not gotten any film like that. Earlier, in some films I have done guest appearance and all, but it didn’t work. My take on this is when the audience is spending Rs 650 or Rs 950 on a ticket, they should get to see what they are going to see. If the whole publicity is going to be in my name, and I am there only for 25 minutes, it doesn’t make any sense to me. If I am in a film I should be there the way people expect me to, otherwise don’t publicise it as my film!

You were to co-produce Kesari with Karan Johar, but you backed out. Why?
Karan has his home production and I have mine. He had come to me long back with the project, but he did all the work from casting to everything. I thought just adding my name was not right.

There are reports that your brother Sohail Khan wants to make a sequel to Partner. Is that happening?
I am not aware of it. We did talk about it some time ago, though. However, Sohail and I are working on another film, Sher Khan, next year. I have started working a little harder and more than I was earlier, now. Fans want to see more of you. Usually I do two films a year, plus I am seen on TV where they get to see their star free of cost hosting shows.

Will you be hosting 10 Ka Dum next year?
Yes. That’s where they will get to see the real me.

What about Bigg Boss. Will you be hosting that also?
There will be 10 Ka Dum, then Bigg Boss, then 10 Ka Dum (laughs).

Comedies are doing well lately, Golmaal Again was a huge hit. Will we see you doing a comedy any time soon?
Yes, the genre is doing very well and I would love to do a comedy, something like Ready. A family comedy where Anees Bazmee meets Sooraj Barjatya!

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 6, 2017)

Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif recently rekindled their friendship on the sets of Tiger Zinda Hai. While the actor notably shadowed his leading lady with a camera during a recent film festival, Kat is making guest turns on TV shows for him. Their social media has also been generously peppered with snapshots of each other.

Their most recent show of impeccable camaraderie came on Monday, on the sets of Remo D’souza and Terence Lewis’s dance show, Dance Champions, making the shoot more eventful than expected. Salman who had been down with a bad throat turned up for the 8 pm schedule to shoot for the episode.

A source from the sets reveals to Mirror, “In between shots, Katrina got emotional and broke down after watching a romantic act by a contestant on the title track of Tere Naam, the 2003 Salman and Bhumika Chawla-starrer about unrequited love. The shoot had to be halted for about 10 minutes. Salman soothed Katrina’s frayed nerves as she regained her composure.”

When shooting resumed, Salman took to the stage to perform on his popular song, ‘Jag Ghoomeya’, and kept pointing towards Kat, making her laugh. The duo also shot an act together where they performed on ‘Dil Deewana’, from Salman’s first film as the lead, Maine Pyar Kiya, and couldn’t resist laughing while attempting the ‘bunny hop’ dance move. “Remo joined them in the performance later on. The act concluded with Salman revealing that it took him 15-20 days to perfect the move for the original song,” the source added.

Sarita A Tanwar (DNA; June 21, 2017)

Celebrations are round the corner for Salman Khan’s fans — Tubelight on Friday and Eid just a few days later. In a freewheeling interview, the Supernova talks about stardom, remembering dialogues, colleagues, and why he wants to do more films.

What’s your take on superstardom?
Today, when they say (superstars) I think there is Aamir, Shah Rukh, me, and Akshay Kumar. We do fewer films — I do two films a year, Aamir does one film in three years, Akshay does four-five films a year. So you do the math. The man who works that hard and makes the maximum amount of money, and supports those many production companies, those many units, and those many directors every four months is a bigger star.

You don’t think you can do as many films as Akshay?
I used to do that. I think Akki is the only one who understood that back in the day, char-paanch lakh ke liye itni jyaada mehnat kar rahe the, ab crores ke liye utni mehnat nahi kar rahe hain... When we were paid so little per film, we did more films. Now we get paid so much more for a film, and we are doing fewer films.

It’s possible to do more films, if you do smaller films...
The films I do, are smaller films. It’s just that you need to mount them...

But your films are so big and grand. Earlier, you had a Love and Phir Milenge too. Don’t you want to do one small film like that?
No, because it doesn’t depend on the budget of the film, but on the plot of the film. Like Tere Naam was a small film. By small films, I mean where you don’t have to give so many days to finish it. When that happens, your fans will go out to see the film and they will receive a small bit of you. And they will be disappointed. That is why I stopped doing guest appearances. When I do a guest appearance, the producer publicises it as a Salman Khan film, so the fans go to see it as a Salman Khan film and that is cheating the audiences. I clearly say ki guest appearance hai and 15 minutes se zyada ka kaam hai nahi.

Akshay has a release every three months. Don’t you think you have fewer releases so your fans throng to the theatre more, in a way?
I think if you come with a good film every two months, people will want to go and see it. Two months is 60 days. That’s a lot. But the film has got to be better than the earlier one. So this phase is ki aai thi ek superb picture, usko dhundhla karo and then you come up with another one. That is how I think. So, I do about two-and-a-half films a year. I am going to up the number to three next year.

There was a time where you seemed casual about your stardom, but over the last few years you seem to have carefully selected and evaluated every film you have signed, when and how did this change happen?
When good scripts started coming to me.

Have you become more committed now?
I am still the same. You think I rehearse my lines now? I do not do any of that stuff at all. I say kya line hai and I am like bahot lambi line hai, wahan se bol and I repeat.

You remember your dialogues, right?
Yes, I do remember, but if there are some heavy-duty dialogues that I have to think about and say, then it doesn’t easily come to me. The dialogues that I have to feel and say come easily. So, I don’t say the dialogues the way they are written. If there is something flowery, I change thoda idhar-udhar. If there are some long lines, then there are always two cameras set up and there is one close and some long shot. I have someone say the lines aloud and I say it with full belief.

You have an amazing memory and you remember things from 20 years ago.
Yes. Things have happened, that I remember. My school education, I don’t remember at all, because I rattoed it. (Smiles)

Were you a good student?
I was okay. I mean, at sports and all, I was fine, studies I used to pass. So, I used to ratto it and as soon as I would come out of my examination and mum would ask, ‘Kya likha hai iske upar?’ I would never remember. Even my dialogues I do not remember. Someone like Sanju (Sanjay Dutt), you give him a three-page dialogue, the guy reads it once or twice and he remembers it. He is phenomenal. I have done three films with him and I know. There was one film, Saajan, where he had all the dialogues and I had one last line... he used to look at me. So, I used to say my line, then cut, and then go for one more. He used to say, ‘Bhaijaan kya kar rahe ho?’ Govinda also has phenomenal memory. He remembers each and every dialogue of his and he has done so many films and intricate dialogues, comedy punches, this, that, informatory lines, everything he remembers. If you are like, ‘Woh yaar woh dialogue kaunsa tha Aunty No.1 ka’, and he is like ‘Yeh wala, yeh wala, yeh wala’, outstanding. Shatru saab (Shatrughan Sinha) too. He had come on to the sets of Dus Ka Dum and he said, ‘Yaar ek woh dialogue tha mera and I used to reach late and woh din ka scene tha when I went there kuch aanth (eight) page ka dialogue tha, toh main make-up karte karte maine padha. The producer said, light jaa rahi hai. I said fikar mat karo, camera lagao and main karta hu’. He read it two-three times and he said it. I said, ‘Sir, woh kya dialogue tha’. He replied, ‘Yaar yeh kuch 30-40 saal pehle ki baat hai.’ I said, haan sir. He said, ‘Ruko ek second’. And he recited it. Eight pages from memory, straight out. I was shocked. I thought kiya hoga shows pe. But he said, ‘Pehli baar kar raha hu us din ke baad’. I forget lines, I forget locations, I forget all these unimportant things. I just delete them.”