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Join UsIn a no-holds-barred interview with Koimoi.com editor, Komal Nahta, on ETC Bollywood Business, on ETC, writer Salim Khan spoke his heart out. Excerpts:
“I Created The Angry Young Man”
“The Angry Young Man was created by me, not by us,” remarked Salim who split from his writing partner, Javed Akhtar, in 1981. He elaborated, “The Angry Young Man image for Amitabh Bachchan was my creation and if the world gives the credit for it to Salim-Javed, it is wrong. I, not we, created him. Even Javed saab would testify to this fact because I had already sold the concept of the Angry Young Man in Zanjeer before I took Javed Akhtar as my partner.”
“Javed Akhtar Wanted To Go Solo”
About how the duo of such blockbusters as Sholay, Deewaar, ‘Zanjeer’, Trishul, Don, Haathi Mere Saathi, Seeta Aur Geeta and many other films split, Salim Khan revealed, “It happened all of a sudden and came like a bolt from the blue for me. After our work got over one day, Javed and I were standing in his building compound and chatting. Suddenly, Javed saab told me that he now wished to go solo and that he was not interested in working as a team. I sensed that he must’ve obviously thought about this for days and weeks together before telling me. So, I had nothing to tell him. I shook hands with him and turned to go towards my car which was parked at some distance. Javed saab began to follow me. After some steps, I stopped and turned towards him. I physically turned his body towards his building and told him to proceed to his home as I was capable of taking care of myself. That was the last time I met him as my partner. I came home and did not reveal this to anybody, even in my own family. A day later, I started getting calls from people in the industry for my reaction to the split. Obviously, Javed saab had spread the word about it.”
“I Recommended Amitabh Bachchan’s Name For ‘Sholay’”
Salim expressed his unhappiness over Amitabh Bachchan giving the credit of his (Amitabh’s) presence in ‘Sholay’ to Dharmendra. “The fact is,” thundered Salim Khan on camera, “it was me, not Dharmendra, who recommended Amitabh’s name for ‘Sholay’.” The writer revealed how pained he was when he heard Bachchan thanking Dharmendra, on a public platform, for having recommended him for ‘Sholay’. “Will you believe it, Dharmendra, on the same public platform, pleaded ignorance about pushing Amitabh Bachchan’s name for the blockbuster film,” smiled Salim. “That’s because he never recommended Amit, I did,” he concluded and wondered why Amitabh was twisting facts.
“Arbaaz Was Not Getting Any Work”
On son Arbaaz Khan turning producer, the father explained, “My entire family was very worried for Arbaaz. He had no work. He used to charge Rs. 20 lakh for a film when he started out, which came down to 15, then 10, then 5 and so on and so forth till he was getting no work. We thought, if he didn’t keep himself busy, he would probably slip into depression. After all, his two closest friends – Sajid Nadiadwala and Sajid Khan – were so busy. That is when we all decided, he should turn producer. We asked him to look out for a subject with which he could start his film and his banner. Salman expressly told him, he would work in his film. Arbaaz got lucky in six months when Abhinav Kashyap approached him with a role in Dabangg. Arbaaz liked the script he was narrated, and expressed his desire to start his banner with this film.”
“I Am Salman’s Father As Long As He Respects Me As A Father!”
The father of Salman, Sohail and Arbaaz has no qualms of travelling in autorickshaws! One day, when he went in an autorickshaw to the mosque to offer prayers and returned home in the same vehicle, the rickshaw driver asked him if Salman Khan, the star, lived in the same building. When Salim nodded in reply, the driver asked further, “If I am not mistaken, are you Salman’s father?” To which Salim Khan replied, “Yes, I am his father as long as he respects me as a father!”
“None Of Salman’s Girlfriends Wanted To Marry Him”
Salim Khan also did not mince words when it came to discussing Salman’s love life. “All the girls, who’ve come in Salman’s life, have come at a stage in their careers when they were looking to becoming sought-after heroines. None of those girls wanted marriage. After all, they were ambitious girls. So, it suited each girl and Salman to get into a relationship but not to marry. The problem with Salman is also that once the relationship becomes serious, he starts looking for a mother figure in his girlfriends. He expects his to-be wife to cook food, raise children, dress them up, send them to school, etc., like his own mother did. Which actress today would be willing to do all this? And since Salman comes in close proximity only to his heroines, he has affairs with them. But marriage never happens.”
“Salman’s Marriage To Katrina Is Not On The Cards”
But what about his latest love interest, Katrina Kaif? Why doesn’t he get married to her? Pat comes Salim Khan’s reply, “Do you think, they will get married? If marriage had to happen, it would’ve happened long back. If it has taken so long, you can be sure, marriage is not on the cards!”
