‘Salman Khan didn’t look like a hero, was a short guy,’ Sooraj Barjatya recalls his first meeting with the actor: ‘He came in to say no’

Recollecting his first impression of Salman, Sooraj said, “He was such a short guy, and didn’t look like a hero at all. But when I saw his photos, he was outstanding. That is the power of camera presence.” Talking about how Salman gradually got into the groove of the narration of Maine Pyar Kiya, Sooraj added, “By the time, we got to the interval point, we shook hands, and decided to do the film. But then, we faced a bigger issue.”

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Sooraj revealed that Salman’s tests didn’t go according to plan at all. “Not sure if it was my fault or his, but there was no throw in his voice. We then moved to dance sequences, got in Farah Khan for the rehearsals, and somehow, it was all going wrong, and he wasn’t dancing well either. But then when I put him in a chair, and handed him a guitar, he just nodded a bit on the camera, and I knew it. His face, his style, his romance… everything was on point… but he wasn’t able to talk,” said Sooraj, who faced the next big obstacle when the team realised that Salman was making his debut with Biwi Ho To Aisi in a supporting role.

“For six months, Salman sent other people, and asked me to launch them instead of himself. In fact, I visited him during a shoot just to say that I have to move on from him, but even there, he had a couple of people lined up, and wanted me to choose them for Maine Pyar Kiya,” said Sooraj, who shared that it was this genuineness that made him stick with Salman. “How to tell a ‘No’ to this person. Credit goes to his personality, and how he has always been truthful. He always believed that the film was more important, and it is still there today. Even now, if I want to make a film with someone else, he’d be supportive, and even ask if I needed him to do a guest appearance.”

Salman Khan, who last starred in a Sooraj Barjatya film in 2015 with Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, is currently awaiting the release of Sikandar, his upcoming film with AR Murugadoss. The film, which also stars Rashmika Mandanna, is set to hit screens on March 30.