Salman Khan played the lead in Wanted.
Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia’s hit film Wanted marked its 15th anniversary today, September 18.
Salman Khan and Ayesha Takia’s hit film Wanted marked its 15th anniversary today, September 18. During an appearance on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11, producer Boney Kapoor shared how he visited Salman at midnight to persuade him to accept the role. Directed by Prabhu Deva, Wanted remains a major milestone in Salman Khan’s career.
Boney Kapoor appeared on a special episode of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 11, where a contestant danced to the song “Mera Hi Jalwa” from Wanted. After the performance, Boney shared how he struggled to persuade Salman Khan to take the lead role. He explained that they began developing the script in 2007, wanting to bring a fresh take to the action genre, which was overshadowed by family dramas at the time. “I decided to make the film and knew that I wanted to do it with Salman Khan,” Boney said.
Boney Kapoor also mentioned that his team acquired the rights to the Telugu film Pokiri, which starred Mahesh Babu. He tried to offer the film to Salman Khan twice but couldn’t arrange a meeting because of the actor’s busy shooting schedule. “Then on the third day, I went to him and said, Salman, I’ll never come after this. If you don’t like this film, I will never even attempt to offer you another film. You just come and watch this film,” he added.
Wanted follows Salman Khan as Rajveer Shekhawat, an undercover cop posing as a thug named Radhe. He works to complete his mission while also protecting his love interest, Jahnvi, played by Ayesha Takia. The film helped establish Salman as a leading action star in Bollywood, leading to hits like Dabangg (2010), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014), and Sultan (2016). With memorable tracks by the music duo Sajid-Wajid, such as Jalwa, Love Me Love Me, Tose Pyaar Karte Hai, and Le Le Mazaa Le, Wanted remains a fan favourite, especially for Salman’s iconic dialogue: Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di … uske baad toh main khud ki bhi nahin sunta.
