‘Salman Khan would work out the entire night during Veergati, cameraman would light to highlight his muscles,’ recalls Akhilendra Mishra

Bollywood actor Akhilendra Mishra, known for his roles such as Mirchi Seth in Sarfarosh and Arjan in Lagaan, recently shared insights into his experience working alongside Salman Khan in the 1995 film Veergati. Portraying the antagonist in the film, Akhilendra praised Salman’s dedication during the shoot, particularly highlighting his commitment to achieving a perfect physique.

In an interview with Rajshri Unplugged, Akhilendra, a seasoned theatre veteran, said, “People like us, who come from theatre, think of themselves as very sincere and we are… but the sincerity I saw in Salman Khan during the shooting of Veergati was simply remarkable. He used to work whole night on his body. That was the first film that showed him with a bare body. He would exercise before every shot, even during the night. Cameraman would also set the lighting to highlight his muscles. Seeing a mainstream actor being so sincere with his role… it was terrific to see his sincerity.”

He added, “The climax of the film was shot over many days and during that time Salman would do weightlifting the whole night to give a perfect shot. Woh bada he kaamal laga tha (That was terrific to see).”

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Despite Salman’s unwavering dedication, Veergati failed to make a mark at the box office. Akhilendra expressed disbelief at the film’s fate and added that it had a successful theatrical run of 100 days. He said, “The film industry declared the film a flop. However, the film ran in theatres for 100 days. I don’t know what was the reason.”

Also read | Firing outside Salman Khan’s house: Arbaaz Khan says family is ‘taken aback’ after ‘disturbing’ incident

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