Salman Khan has often told the story of his debut film Biwi Ho Toh Aisi, and has shared that it was just luck that he happened to walk into the garage of director JK Bihari, and landed the role. But, in a recent interview, Bihari shared that he knew he was going to cast Salman when he watched him walk towards his office. Salman’s debut film had him playing a supporting role in a film led by Rekha and Farooq Sheikh, and Bihari shared that being Salim Khan’s son, Salman could have refused that role, but he did not let the opportunity pass him by. In a chat with Siddharth Kannan on his YouTube channel, JK Bihari shared that he had locked the cast of the film including the leads and Asrani, Bindu and Kader Khan but he was still looking for a boy who could play Farooq’s younger brother, and that is when he saw Salman walk across the road, towards his office, and he decided to cast him. “I was sitting in my garage and I saw a boy walking across the road towards me with a file in his hand. I decided just by looking at his walk that I am going to sign him,” he said and recalled that he did not even audition Salman for this role. JK Bihari said that as soon as Salman Khan took a seat, he announced that Salman was finalised for the role, and the actor couldn’t believe his luck. “He came and talked to me and I said yes. He couldn't believe it. He didn't take his father's name. Had he done that, I might have not cast him,” he said. When asked why, Bihari said that this was a “small role” for someone like Salim Khan’s son, who was a prolific writer in Bollywood. “Salim Khan was such a big writer and the role was quite small. It wasn't a hero's role,” he said. ALSO READ | ‘Amrita Singh looked after me, I lived in her house’: Soha Ali Khan recalls how their equation changed after Saif Ali Khan’s divorce Bihari said that later, when he learnt about the Salim Khan connection, he felt that Salman might opt out, but that didn’t happen. “I learnt later that he is Salim Khan's son. He called me over to meet him. I thought that now that he knows the role, he might refuse it. But he didn’t do that. Salim Khan said you are a new director, he is also new,” he recalled and added that it was all about “destiny.” JK Bihari said that Salman Khan was made to sign a three-film contract with the producers at a very minimal amount, and Salman was so keen to work, that he signed whatever was presented in front of him. “Salman wanted a break so he was ready to sign anything. So my producer did a three film contract with him at a very low amount. The agreement was that Salman had to do the films whenever the producer wanted to make it. It was quite strict,” he said. One year after Biwi Ho Toh Aisi, Salman appeared in a lead role in Sooraj Barjatya’s Maine Pyar Kiya, and soon became a star in Bollywood.
