Controversies. Fights. And link-ups. Salman Khan has braved them all over the years. In a relaxed chat with Mumbai Mirror, the dabangg man puts everything straight. Finally.
December 27, 2011. Farhan Akhtar attended your birthday bash in Panvel. So, is there a film in the offing?
Just because he attends my party, it doesn't mean that I have to do a film with him. You have to remember that I know Farhan since he was a kid. Thikh hai Farhan is Javed Sahab's son… and I would take Farhan with me on my bicycle. So I know him since that age.
He did offer you many films in the past…
Yeah... So? Ok. So let's talk about Sanjay Dutt. He is a very shy person… How did you…(he interrupts)
Haan, he is very shy. Baba is really shy. (Sanjay, who is sitting across Salman and talking to another journalist turns around and asks, "What happened?" Salman answers, "They are saying Baba is shy." To this Sanjay nods and says, "Yes, very shy." And the two burst out laughing.)
He doesn't talk much in public, we meant.
Yes, he doesn't want to talk. He isn't shy with the people he has grown up with. But he gets very shy with compliments. Especially, if it is coming from a girl.
So was it difficult convincing him to host Bigg Boss where he had to interact with a lot of people?
Till the last moment we weren't sure whether he was going to do it. Every time he would say, 'Yaar, what is this? Where am I? What am I doing?'. But once he rehearsed for it and knew what the format was, he opened up. Sanjay is the funniest guy I have ever known. His sense of humour is amazing. Plus, he has got this connect with people.
Knowing him for so many years must've helped you co-host the show.
Yeah. I think we have known each other since…1990?…(He turns to the side and asks, "Baba, how long have we known each other? I must have been 15 - 16 na?" A surprised Sanjay thinks about it and replies, "Not 15. 14.") Yeah. So I was 14 and Baba was 17.
Apart from your friendships, there are a lot of stories about your fights within the industry as well…
With whom?
The latest being Hrithik… What is your equation with him today?
Hrithik? See, I bump into him once in a while. He is a very busy man. I am very busy too. When he wasn't all that busy, he used to spend a lot of time with me. And I would rather have him spend time away from me with his films becoming huge hits, than him spending all his time with me in the gym and his films being flops.
You are known for being a true friend. You make an effort to get back your friends. Like Himesh…you guys patched up and then Bodyguard happened…
It's not like I am having an affair with these guys. They are those friends who you are comfortable with while working with them. When you are not working with them, they move away. And then you work again because there is a special relationship that you share.
Coming to Bigg Boss 5, do you think that the contestants have behaved too irresponsibly?
I think that they shout without any reason just to get that extra footage (pauses). Unko lagta hai ki cheekhne chillane se kaam ban jaayega. People like Rakhi Sawant and Dolly Bindra think that if they do these kind of things, they would win. But none of them have won. Rahul (Roy) and Shweta (Tiwari) have won because they weren't like that.
This year, you did what no other host has ever done. You went in the house gave the inmates a piece of your mind…
I had to do it. I had to tell them what the country is feeling. Helen aunty watches the show and she didn't like it. Everybody… my family, my friends asked me what was going on in the house. They hated it. Outside Bigg Boss there is a bigger house. If need be, main agle season mein bhi yeh karunga.
Moving on…Over the years, you've been linked with many women…
(Interrupts) There are lots of them.
But all such rumours have stopped. You think you have become more cautious
Has it stopped? (looks in disbelief) Really?
(Looks at his manager. Manager says, "Well, a journalist is claiming so." Both start laughing. Then Salman looks at Sanjay, who is again caught off guard, and asks, "Baba, all these years of linkups, of late it has stopped…is it true?" Now even Sanjay joins in the laughter fest.)
I better do something now (Adds looking rather serious)
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