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Sooraj Barjatya rejected Salman Khan’s first audition
Highlights
Salman Khan and director Sooraj Barjatya walk down the memory lane before their upcoming release Prem Ratan Dhan Payo revealing their 28 year long association.
Salman Khan and director Sooraj Barjatya walk down the memory lane before their upcoming release Prem Ratan Dhan Payo revealing their 28 year long association. Sooraj Barjatya revealed that he had written the script of Maine Pyar Kiya in English and later rewrote it in Hindi further stating that how finding his hero Salman Khan changed their lives.
"We were looking for a new boy for the lead. Someone suggested us Salman Khan, Salim Khan's son. Heroes looked big and burly but Salman looked so small! But when I saw his photographs they were world apart so we decided to do a screen test one week before his birthday. The screen tests were rejected because no one liked the way he said 'Kyon'. There was this girl Shabana Dutt who also suggested Salman's name to us. After four months, I started meeting people and there was this film being made by Suresh Bhagat title Biwi Ho Toh Aish which had an impressive cast. Salman was playing a side role. Suresh Bhagat also suggested Salman's name to us. We finally decided to cast him as the hero.”
Salman says, "They confirmed me for the role of the hero. My film Biwi Ho Toh Aisi was releasing and I was planning a screening for them. The moment me and my brother Arbaaz saw the film we cringed. I called Sooraj and told him that I am horrible in the movie. Then came the casting for the heroine we liked a girl who was the niece of a big star and her name was Shaheen. Later Sooraj showed me pictures of Bhagyashree chosen by Raj Babu (Sooraj's father). I asked him ‘Are you going to cast her as a sister in the film?”
Sooraj Barjatya talks about working with Salman Khan, "He was always a one take artiste. I knew what he was going through at that time. The mixing guy saw the rushes and said we will have to dub his voice or else the film won't do well. My father said he's a new boy and this could make or break his career. We decided we won’t dub and will give the boy a chance.”
Adding to what Sooraj says, Salman continues, "A 20 year old boy had the courage to cast me. The film went on to become a hit. It was an expensive film, with a budget of Rs 1 crore 11 lakh. Raw stock was expensive too."
Sooraj says, "I cast him in Hum Aapke Hain Koun later and he loved the script. Later I cast him as the younger brother in Hum Saath Saath Hain in a sober role. But when Salim Saab (Salman's father) saw the film and said it was one of his best roles. Salman would often travel on the streets of Mumbai and questioned me as to why is there so much of poverty and sadness everywhere. In Prem Ratan Dhan Payo I have answered all his questions. He will be seen in a double role as Vijay and Prem."
Commenting further on PRDP, Salman says, "Sooraj knows the script in and out including every scene, dialogue and songs with lyrics. Everything in the movie is related to his family. It comes through his real life. It's a simple film, with no smooching scenes or exposure of any sort. He is one man who makes complicated things simple in life.”
By Lipika Varma
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