SALMAN KHAN: Star status is no big deal

Salman Khan has a reputation for being a very difficult star to interview. Just when you begin to start believing the image after being kept waiting for three hours, he walks in and asks, "What are you waiting for?" Casually attired in a T-shirt, cargo pants and a cap, he appears to be in a good mood and starts chatting amicably. Fortunately he doesn't stare at anybody as, according to Dabangg director Abhinav Kashyap, "If Salman stares at you, you will start shivering."

When asked if this is true, Salman says, "Not at all. I am very approachable to genuine people. This is why children approach me and hug me all the time. People are only scared of me when they have made a mistake."

He claims not to hold grudges as he adds, "It's okay to make mistakes, I have made so many in my life. As long as you don't repeat any of them it's fine." Guess he doesn't mind forgiving people as long as they are not Viveik Oberoi.

While he might take his grudge against Viveik seriously, Sallu says he doesn't give his "star status" too much importance to avoid the adulation getting to his head. Explaining how he keeps himself grounded, Salman says, "It is simple. If you consider yourself a simple person instead of a star, then the screen image you have will not affect you. But if you start believing in that image, then you are done for."

Salman will never be just a regular guy, but surprisingly, what he said about being an approachable person earlier on, is true. When he was walking into his office for the interview, an old man came up to him to chat and Salman indulged him. Turns out, the senior citizen needed help. After patiently listening to him, Salman asked his staff to do the needful. Now it's easy to understand why the masses adore him.

No wonder his movies like Wanted do phenomenal business in single screen theatres. Sallu doesn't mind that his films do better business in single screens instead of multiplexes. He says, "I don't understand that concept. I just think single screens are cheaper and a lot more fun."

Talking about films doing well, he hopes his upcoming film Dabangg is a hit. "When Arbaaz came to me with the script, I was wondering what it will be like. But after the narration, I said I will do it and Arbaaz thought I was kidding. He told me to give him an answer the next day. Next morning I asked him when we would start shooting and he still could not believe that I was interested," says Salman.

Salman, who will be seen playing a cop in the movie, is confident his character will be liked as it is larger than life. "Heroes can do things than are no possible in normal life. They can fight and also romance. People like watching such films on the big screen."
Once his instinct told him the movie has all the ingredients needed for a hit, Salman got Arbaaz and team to work more on the script. The actor worked on himself too. He lost a lot of weight and also grew a moustache.

"I wanted to lose a lot more weight and look more ribbed but Arbaaz asked me not to." He would have been happy to lose the moustache which he found odd, but everyone around convinced him not to. "I also chopped off my hair which had grown so long during Veer," he says.
Apart from the release of Dabangg, Salman is very excited about Bigg Boss, the reality show he will soon be anchoring on TV. Watch the promos being aired carefully if you are blessed with two left feet as a straight-faced Salman reveals, "The dance steps that you will see me doing on the promos are dedicated to people who cannot dance. They are the ones who just move their bodies in pubs and other places whenever the music is on."

Just when you are fooled into thinking that he doesn't mind staying the whole day to chat, he looks at his 'Being Human' watch and indicates that the interview is over.