Film Industry: I ONLY KNOW SALMAN AS THE GUY WHO PUNCTURED MY TYRE AND WORE MY JEANS

I ONLY KNOW SALMAN AS THE GUY WHO PUNCTURED MY TYRE AND WORE MY JEANS

Arbaaz Khan, 45, has grabbed the opportunity to direct a film which he dreamt of since childhood. He is completely aware of the franchise of Dabangg that he needs to look after and take forward. He opens up to Bombay Times about his emotional battles, his argumentative relationship with his father and why he is the only sibling to not call Salman… Bhai. Excerpts:

How did you turn director of Dabangg? I was always interested in directing and at 19, when I was in college, I was one of the many assistants Bhatt sahab had on his films Jurm and Kabzaa. Acting roles came my way and I got my first break as an actor with Abbas Mastan’s Daraar at the age of 24. I did about 40-odd films but since I was not getting too far as an actor, my mind was constantly on the lookout for something else. That is when I produced Dabangg and was successful. Abhinav Kashyap, the director of the film, was to work on the sequel, but in a couple of weeks, I got an SMS from him saying he did not want to be a part of the sequel and had his personal reasons for opting out and I realised there was no point trying to convince him. After a lot of deliberation I realised that I was the next best guy to take over the helm of affairs as nobody had the closeness or attachment to the project that I had. I felt this is my calling and it was an opportunity that had come my way and I should use it. I spoke to Salman and told him I will direct the film. He knew that as the creative producer of the first film, I had been totally involved in the making of it. He also knew my wish to become a director and he agreed. I gave Salman the entire narration of the film and we started shooting. We started shooting in March and Salman said we have to bring the film on Christmas. I said if you don’t cancel any shoot I will bring it on time. Salman kept his word and I completed the film in 100 days, meeting the scheduled time for release.

It is perceived that a director does not have a role to play in a Salman Khan film. Does it bother you? The kind of space and popularity Salman is in right now, anyone will have difficulty getting any recognition in his film. He is a great star, but it’s
    not that you can just roll the camera on him. He will come
    on the set with his expertise as an actor and great stardom,
    but you can’t make him act in a void.

    What does he think of you as a director?
    In the entire period when the film was
    shot, Salman never called me to say
    ‘come home, what the hell have you
    shot?’ He is in that phase of his life
    where his stakes matter more than anybody else’s and if he wanted to re-shoot
    he would have asked for it.

How would you define your style as a director? A director is about picking the right choices — be it the casting, story, costumes, crew or any other. If your choices are right, you are a good director. Some of the greatest shot films do not connect and some of the shoddiest shot films connect. No matter how well you tell a terrible story it will not work. I give my actor and assistants a lot of freedom... that is something I learnt from Bhatt sahab.

As a director, how would you rate Salman as an actor? He is a brilliant and spontaneous actor. He knows the camera and knows his audience. This comes after many years of experience. He is so much at ease with himself. There is a comfort and freedom in his performance. He is incorrectly perceived to be indisciplined. He is not an early morning person so, unless he has to, he will resist coming to shoot at 6 in the morning.
So if a director cannot work around his timings, he should not work with him. Once you suit your time cycle with him, he is not indisciplined. If he knows there is a sunrise shoot which has to take place at 7 am, he will even stay back in the makeup van at night for the shoot.

Salman is older to you by just a year and a half and you grew up together. Has your equation changed with him due to his superstar status? Salman became a star at the age of 24, but for 24 years until then he had lived with me and I didn't think he would become a star. So while the world can look at him in a certain way, I can't change my equation with him. I always see him as the guy who smashed my cycle, wore my jeans and punctured my tyre. And Salman does not expect me to change towards him, but if I don't acknowledge who he is then he will get upset. He is an achiever and I give him that space, privacy and respect. But at the same time, I cannot behave with him the way other millions do. The other members in the family are much younger to him and call him Salman Bhai. I am the only one who calls him Salman only because I never called him that.

If you succeed as a director, will it change your equation with him? Yes it will. Salman always wants his entire family to do well. There are two kinds of people within a family. One, when your family member is not capable and yet you want him to succeed. The other, when you know a member is capable and you want him to become successful. Salman knows I am capable and he feels it is due to me, he wants it to happen and will be happy if it happens.

Prior to your success of Dabangg, did you ever lose hope in life? Say you are staying in a building and you are the best cricketer and then you go to college and realise that you are good but cannot compete at a state level. At a certain stage of my life, I started suspecting myself as life did not throw as many opportunities at me. While growing up, I was the more studious and disciplined child and in fact, Salman used to get compared to me. And then came a stage in life when we were neck to neck where he was better in some things and I was better in some things. And then the man just skyrocketed and then there was no contest and suddenly I was looking at this giant and did not know how I would beat him. People around you dwarf you with their expectations and then you can never match up to that as the person you are competing with is a guy whom the world thinks is great.

What is your relationship with your father? I am very close to him and he gives me the liberty to talk to him more as a friend. Sometimes my discussion with him seems to be an argument and that is rare as none of my other siblings do that. I am opinionated and so is he. I feel just because I am his son and am younger to him cannot stop me from having an opinion. I allow others to have an opinion and expect the same in return. Salman is the most obedient and I think it's a great quality. I have become a father now and would like my son, who is even more strongheaded and opinionated than I am, to obey everything I say. When I see my son arguing with me, I realise what my father would have gone through. Though my father has now reconciled and respects me for my individuality.

Are there qualities of your father you have learnt from? Professionally, that the script is the foundation on which you base your film. Personally, his sincerity, honesty and discipline. My father was never late even for a trial. I am painfully disciplined and am anal about the fact that I need to be on time. I will be on time even if I am going for a picnic.