Covering Bollywood and the Hindi Cinema

Salman Khan apart from basking in the glory of “Partner” is also busy promoting his upcoming with Marigold which also stars Ali Larter and his been directed by Hollywood maker Willard Carroll. Some excerpts from an interview.

Salman Khan makes it to Hollywood. Will your critics be envious?
I didn’t understand your question. For me, our industry is very important. I have done this film for Willard and not because it is Hollywood.

Willard is like my elder brother and I love him and I would do any film for him. But yes, it is my first film in English and as such it is very important. Actually, all my films are equally important.

You have this image of being a pure entertainer. Is Marigold your first step towards meaningful cinema?
I am not doing art cinema. Marigold is a romantic musical film. I liked the script and Willard has written all dialogues keeping me in mind… so when I heard the script I loved it… Marigold is the name of Ali’s (Larter) character in the film and someone I fall in love with. In fact, the character that I play in Maine Pyaar Kiya (Prem) is back in this film. He has the same innocence and the same vulnerability.

What would you say is the difference between working in a Hollywood production and a Bollywood movie?
In Hollywood, they are more organized in their work. Partner is releasing on July 20 and the final prints are still not ready (on July 18). They go about filmmaking as a process. Here the movie is sold even before it is made. That is essentially the difference.

The work gets easier and simpler for them because they go step by step. Otherwise we are all people, human. They speak in English and we speak in English. However, I would not like to change a thing. I would want my directors and producers to work exactly the way they work here (laughs).

You play a Bollywood choreographer in the film. What was it like?
It is a film within a film. It has all the trappings of a Hindi movie. I had to work very hard for my role. I realised that being a choreographer was not easy at all.

What would you say is the USP of Marigold?
It is a beautiful love story.

Salman Khan is a bad boy off screen and the everlasting good boy on screen… How would you analyse this statement?
Who says I am a bad boy off screen? This is the creation of the media. You guys love to create such images and controversies… I guess you people like writing lies to sell your papers and gain TRPs. Sometimes I feel I am doing charity. You guys write lies about me, draw salaries and feed your children and take care of your parents. It must actually be difficult…

At this stage of your career, what kind of films are you looking for?
I would like to do what I’ve been doing.

On the one hand you have Partner and on the other there is Marigold. Will the balance between these two kinds of films continue for Salman Khan?
There aren’t two types of cinemas, both of these are Salman Khan starrers.

Salman, Shah Rukh Khan, Amir Khan…who next after the three Khans?
Salman Khan!