Salman Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, but his journey to success was not always smooth. His relationship with his father, the famous writer Salim Khan, played a key role in shaping his life and career. Actor Adi Irani recently shared insights about Salman’s early career days and how he found his own way in the industry.
Salman’s father was known to be strict with him. Actor Adi Irani, in a chat with Filmymantra Media, talked about Salman’s behaviour during the filming of ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke‘. He noted that Salman’s demeanour was often misinterpreted as arrogance. Adi explained, “Vo rowdy aur attitude logon ke liye nahi tha, vo apni life apne hisaab se jeena chaahta hai. If he isn’t in the mood for something, he won’t do. He wasn’t arrogant, it was his childishness. What all he did in that childish behaviour was termed as arrogant, that’s what I feel. Jo galat tha vo galat tha, but it’s not like he was doing purposely.”
Despite his lineage, Salman was conscious of his own abilities and limitations. Irani highlighted Salman’s self-awareness, stating, “He knows one thing which is very important for someone to know, ‘You should know yourself’. One should know if he is a good actor, mediocre or not a great actor. But, you have to know yourself, whatever you feel. I am not a great actor, so I cannot be Shah Rukh Khan. I cannot reach that level, I will make my own mark. That’s what Salman Khan did.”
Adi recalled how he met Salim Khan through his ex-girlfriend, who was a close friend of the Khan family. He often visited their home and saw how strictly Salim treated Salman. “I knew Salman since the time he was not even in films. My ex-girlfriend used to take me to Salim Khan’s house, she was a good friend of his. I used to meet him and have food there. Salim Khan ji jo karte the Salman ke saath mai, I used to think how can someone do this to his son?”
Salman was very passionate about working out, but Salim wasn’t convinced that bodybuilding alone could make him an actor. He added, “Salman was very much interested in working out. So while he was exercising, Salim ji used to say in front of me, ‘Dekho unko actor banna hai, inko lagta hai body banaane se actor bann jaayenge. Acting ke lie kya kya karna padta hai’.” Hearing such comments often left Salman frustrated, “Salman used to think and even say, ‘Kya hai mera baap aisa bolta hai mere baare mai help karne ki jagah?’”
However, Adi’s girlfriend had a different perspective. She believed Salim Khan’s harsh words were actually a way to motivate Salman. “My girlfriend said that this is psychology, he is doing all this so that he gets motivated by stubbornness to prove himself to his father. And, that’s what happened!”
