The Salman Khan:interview you must not miss

In the new year is there something that you want to change about yourself?

I just want to let myself go and fight. I don’t want to control or stop myself from not saying this or that and worry that people might misunderstand me or I might hurt someone. These things kept me in control but I have let it go now.

Today, I can stand up and say no to anything — like I won’t do this or support that. Also there was the fear of the court cases. If by chance you offend someone or hurt your image, but today I don’t give a damn. That fear is gone. We are going to fight it out in court and do everything in our power. If it is written in my destiny, then no one can set me free and if it is not written then no one can put me in jail.

You seem to be angry that stars, including you, got flak for performing at the Saifai Mahotsav in Uttar Pradesh.

Please understand that actors are entertainers and our existence is because of our fans. We add cheer to their lives. Yet despite that, many of us do a lot of charity work. Other than donating our hard-earned money we also spend a lot of time going to charitable events, visiting ailing patients, cheering our soldiers on the border etc. Katrina Kaif gave Rs. 5 crore to charity this year, including Rs. 1 crore which came to my Being Human charity.

I think we must acknowledge and respect these facts. In the fight between the media and the politicians, why bring us in the picture?

We get paid from one particular person to enthral lakhs of fans waiting there to enjoy for a few hours. When Michael Jackson came here Sohail, Sanju (Sanjay Dutt), and I went to see him. Today we remember the concert. We try to give people the same thing.

We take that trouble. They take back the pleasure of seeing their idol and hero who they will never get to see. You mentioned recently that you’ve become boring.

Oh, that’s for me to understand. The media didn’t leave my personal life alone, so much so that I had no personal life. But I’ll be interesting for you. Now I’ll get back to being my real self which is a fun Salman. He’ll come out soon, but in a good way. Anger-wise, I’m still the same. I know I shouldn’t get so angry but it happens only for the right reasons even if people may disagree.

Your father, Salim Khan mentioned on Karan Johar’s chat show that many friends misused you. What’s your take on that?

I don’t think anyone has misused me. I’ve willingly done what I’ve to do. Perhaps, at times, I did films for friends and got fed up midway. I must have agreed as the initial idea sounded good. So if it’s anybody’s fault then it’s mine.

You are probably the only star that has launched so many new talents in the industry and become a godfather…

Not godfather. Somebody gave me a break so I am doing the same. It’s also because my upbringing has been very correct. There’s no insecurity or jealousy. I like people to be successful and have a great future ahead. If you are doing well, your family is doing well. Every day that I don’t work I feel guilty.

Your dad said on a TV show that two stars can never be good friends (when asked about Salman and SRK). Do you agree?

I tried my best (to patch up with Shah Rukh) and I still keep trying. I think there is a possibility; there’s a hope that we can still be friends, all of us (including Aamir Khan). When we were growing up, we were very close. Then marriage, families, children and their own problems drifted us apart. Then the insecurity of the box-office number game, prices, big films and bigger fan bases started building up. Perhaps that subconsciously widened the distance. I still believe that there’s friendship and you will know for sure when somebody is in trouble.

I pray that nobody is in trouble ever, but God forbid if someone is, I’d be there for them. You seem to have become this agony uncle doling out advice to Aamir post his divorce and now Hrithik Roshan after his separation.

No. He (Hrithik) just came to meet me and stories started floating out. I can’t give advice even to myself. If I’d listened to myself and followed it through, I’d have reached a different level altogether. Perhaps they think my experience is more than theirs and I think theirs is more than me, because stories have only been written about me. I wish some of them were true.

You’ve now been directed by both your brothers — Arbaaz and Sohail. What’s the difference between the two?

Arbaaz is methodical, very prepared and rehearsed. It was his first film so he had to get into that space. Half way through the film even he was improvising, and was comfortable with the change in shots, among other things. Sohail has worked with me three times earlier. So he was very aware of the way I work. Sohail adapts faster because there’s that much experience too.

Apart from this, there’s no difference at all. Arbaaz was a part of this film too and Sohail was a part of Dabangg 2 (2012); we’ve all made this (Jai Ho) together.

The publicity of the film is low key. Are you that confident about people watching it or is it a strategy?

I feel publicising a film too much might just kill it. You end up saying the same things over and over again. Till the time you have different things to say about the same film, you can phrase it differently and correctly. But once you start losing interest, the whole exercise is pointless.