Salman Khan may be part of a spy universe through the Tiger franchise, but he is aiming to create a romance brand, teaming up with director Sooraj Barjatya of Rajshri Productions, known for romantic and family films. He’s also keen on creating his own ‘universe’ with films like Prem, Chulbul Pandey, Devi, Devil, Body Guard and others.
Excerpts from an interview:
Q: Rohit Shetty has created a Cop Universe. Would you like to create a Tiger Universe?
I’m thinking of making my own universe from my films like Chulbul Pandey, Body Guard, Lovely Singh, Radhey, Devi, Devil and Prem. It would be really exciting to walk through this universe.
Q: You’ve been tuned into the spy world for a while now. Do you have a different kind of film on the anvil?
I will be doing Sooraj Barjatiya’s film soon. His films always feature a huge family. In real life too, my family has 60 members and counting. Sooraj can only make family-oriented films, with extended families buying a minimum of 25 tickets to watch them, and that is what I like about his movies.
Q: Your on-screen chemistry with Shah Rukh Khan is apparent. Does this jodi help bring audiences into theatres?
SRK and I have done multi-hero and double-hero films. I have never had any problem doing a double hero film. Today’s generation don’t want to work with any other hero. Our generation is very secure in comparison to this generation. We like to bring the fan followings of both heroes together. This not only brings the audiences into the theatres but wins the support and love from sets of fans for the film. The box office numbers also double.
Q: What kind of camaraderie do you and Shahrukh Khan share?
We connect through our eyes very simply. Even if we want to convey something about someone at a party, though we may be standing at a distance from each other, we communicate our thoughts well to each other through our eyes.
Q: When will we get to watch a film with both you and Shahrukh in full-fledged roles?
We will do a full-fledged film together very soon. I will give you an update shortly.
Q: How do you deal with success or failure of a film?
I don’t handle it; I let audiences decide. Happy when they flock to theatres, their appreciation feels good. If a film doesn’t do well, it motivates us to work harder next time. We aim not just to entertain but to provide content audiences love.
