Salim Khan Did Not Like Son Salman’s Role In Baghban, Called It ‘Artificial’

Salman Khan, after making his Bollywood debut in the late 1980s, became a household name for his innocent, kind and humble characters in Sooraj Barjatya’s films. But when Salman played a similar character named Alok Malhotra in Ravi Chopra’s 2003 film Baghban, his father, producer and screenwriter Salim Khan, was not impressed. He believed that Salman was not looking real in this role. In an old conversation with Sooraj Barjatya, Salman revealed how his father reacted after seeing him as Alok in Baghban. The acclaimed producer remarked that instead of looking like a kind-hearted hero, he looked like a “blind” person. The Indian Express quoted Salman Khan as saying, “I had a problem even in Baghban, where my father said, ‘Why are you looking blind?’ I asked, ‘Blind?’ Starr said that, according to his father, he “didn’t look like a nice guy” but appeared “artificial” on screen.

Furthermore, Salman expressed that Alok’s character was appreciated by the audience at the time, but he personally believed that the innocence and humility that needed to be portrayed was not genuine. “I played that very wrong. It was appreciated and all, but I understood as an actor that I failed miserably in that, and my father caught on to it,” Salman was quoted by the publication The actor garnered a lot of praise for his performances in Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Maine Pyar Kiya etc. But according to the star himself, Baghban feels wrong.

But director Ravi Chopra believed otherwise. The report mentions that they chose Salman because of his “decent” looks. The portal quoted the director’s old interview when he said, “His character is indebted to the person who raised him. Salman has done a great job.”

In Baghban, Salman Khan played the adopted son of Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. The film follows the journey of the pair as their own children leave them while their adopted son takes care of his aging parents. It also starred Aman Verma, Sameer Soni, Sahil Chaddha, Nasir Khan, Divya Dutta, Rimi Sen, Paresh Rawal, Mahima Chowdhary and others in important roles.

Salman was recently seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan opposite Pooja Hegde. The film was released on Eid and was well received by his fans. The actor is currently working on Tiger 3. Helmed by Maneesh Sharma, the film will see him reprising his role as an agent alongside Katrina Kaif. Reportedly, among other commitments, Salman will also start filming for Bigg Boss OTT soon.