As Salman Khan is set to celebrate his 60th birthday, David Dhawan, the man who has directed him in eight movies in the lead, twice more in cameos and once in a voiceover, reminisces on his everlastingly deep bond with the actor about whose heart he declares, “Usska dil to baccha hai ji!”
Excerpts from the interview:
How did you first meet him?
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, was writing Naam, and I was the film’s editor. I was a great fan of Salim-saab, from whom one can learn a lot, and we would often meet at his house when the film was being made in 1985-’86. I first met Salman there. In 1987, I started out as a director with Taaqatwar, but it took a while for us to get together.
It was a full decade later with Judwaa.
Yes. I was busy establishing myself, and Salman became busy after Maine Pyar Kiya. Aur bahut zyaada hi mazaa aaya in working with this boy, who was always up to some prank! The kind of dual role he was doing here was new for him, but what he did in the film was extraordinary! Somewhere, the bud for writing is there within him and he is very good at spontaneously adding his own touches to his lines! As a filmmaker, I love improvisation and my script was never cast-iron.
And Salman would never even ask for the story, or the full script. One thing I noted was that come Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda or Sanjay Dutt, he was never insecure when I cast him with all of them! We had an amazing relationship of great mutual trust and faith!
Salman did two guest roles in your films. How did that happen?
A lot of Deewana Mastana, which released in the same year as Judwaa, was shot in Bangalore, and when we had thought of this cameo and I called him, he just came to the city and shot his delightful sequence with full faith in me.
With Judwaa 2, it was he who mock-grumbled that while I had cast my son Varun (Dhawan) in the reboot, it was he who had been the original Judwaa and I had not given him any role in it! I thought of this double cameo and brought him in. You won’t believe, but we shot the entire last sequence within just one hour in a hotel with both Salman and Varun shown in dual roles.
And he did a voiceover in Main Tera Hero as well.
Again, he told me that I was working with Varun but had not given him any role in Main Tera Hero! So I told him that I was planning to have a voiceover wherever Seenu, Varun’s character, frequently consults Lord Ganpati for help, and God responds. He was adamant and told me that he must do the voiceover. On a serious note, he advised me to work more with my son, because Varun se woh bahut pyar karta hai! In fact, he loves my entire family, and calls my wife Lali Maa!
Why have you never made a film with both Salman and Varun?
Though I am taking it easy because of my age, I may make it anytime!
In view of what you have said, can Salman make for a good writer-director?
He can, but he will probably call me for editing his film! (Laughs)
On that note, an unofficial association was your editing Salman’s blockbuster home production, Dabangg to 2 hours, 3 minutes, contributing to its whopping success.
That was nothing really. I just helped out with some corrections.
Your last lead film with him was Partner way back in 2007. Why not try Salman in a non-comic role as he has shown his versatility?
You see, my guru is the late Manmohan Desai, and he told me that chalti gaadi ka bonnet mat kholna (Don’t open the bonnet of a moving car)! There was a slightly different colour to Desai-saab’s son Ketan Desai’s film, Yeh Hai Jalwa, with him, but it did not work.
Did Salman have a hand in your music?
He did! Because he understands exactly what kind of music I like for my films! He is very creative there and as we all know, Himesh Reshammiya, who gave me such lovely songs in Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, Yeh Hai Jalwa and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, and Sajid-Wajid, who did Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and my later films, are actually people he mentored. My new film with Varun, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde is also named after the Salman hit in Biwi No. 1—Hai Jawani To Ishq Hona Hai.
How would you assess him as an actor?
He is outstanding! Itna samajhdaar hai, he knows exactly what to do and understands cinema thoroughly. He is that student who seems not to study and then comes first in the exam! Woh director se kandhe se kandhaa milaake chalta hai! We have done so many films together, most of which have been hits. And look at the man—he will be 60 and what a looker he is! And he works towards it, because he feels that he owes his good looks and fitness to the millions who love him!
And what are his standout traits as a human being?
He is a shararati person with those close to him. He loves his mother infinitely, and he as well as brothers Arbaaz and Sohail are still scared of their father and respect him hugely. It’s a tight-knit family, and Salman has done and keeps doing so much for them all, including his brothers. Even today, the entire family has lunch together. At heart, he is not just young but simple. Even today, he resides in a one bedroom-hall!
What do you want to wish him on his 60th birthday?
As I said, he does not look anywhere near 60. I consider him like my third son and all I can say is God bless him!
Salman Khan-David Dhawan scoreboard
Judwaa / 1997 / Super-Hit
Deewana Mastana (cameo) / 1997 / Success
Biwi No. 1 / 1999 / Super-Hit
Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge / 2000
Chal Mere Bhai / 2000
Yeh Hai Jalwa / 2002
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi / 2004 / Super-Hit
Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya? / 2005 / Hit
Partner / 2007 / Super-Hit
Main Tera Hero (voiceover) / 2014 / Hit
Judwaa 2 (cameo) / 2017 / Hit
