Sumeet Mishra | mumbai@bollywoodtown.in
Salman Khan, who has wooed the audiences with his performances in movies like ‘Sultan’, ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ and ‘Ek Tha Tiger’ is now present with his film Tubelight’ which has been in news for quite some time. The actor who was last seen as a wrestler in ‘Sultan’ received huge accolades for his performance and is currently one of the sought after actor in the industry. In his recently released film ‘Tubelight’, where the actor has collaborated with director Kabir Khan for the third time spoke at length about his experiences with Bollywood Town…
Somebody who is so witty, intelligent and smart how difficult was it to play a mentally challenged person…
When you are growing up there is a kind of innocence that speaks. You are full of life and have no ulterior motives. At the age of 51-52, when you have had various kinds of experiences, it’s very difficult to play something like this where you have to bring in the childishness. I had to dig deep for this character. I had to go back to my school days, where I reminisced observing children and learn from them. It was quiet an uphill task for me. Also I had to be careful that I don’t over-do it.
You had said that the film is emotionally draining…
Perhaps if there would have any other actor, I would have put glycerin in my eyes. The work would have looked the same. But when you’re doing a film like this where your real brother is playing a character, no matter how much you might think of not getting involved in that as soon as those lines come up you can’t stop those emotions. It was a difficult film to execute because most of scenes required me to shed tears and that was sporting a problem for me. So, yes there was a lot of hard work involved.
This your third film with Kabir Khan. What kind of equation do you share with him?
Kabir Khan and I have known each other before ‘Ek Tha Tiger’. We met each other when he was doing ‘Kabul Express’. Thereafter he approached Katrina for New York which she was not willing to do but I asked her to do that film as I knew about Kabir’s work. So the comfort level is definitely there. But if he gives me a bad script, I am not going to do it no matter what the comfort level would be. Its only till the time he is getting me the best scripts, we are working. It’s just that it’s a very good understanding between two people who think differently.
The film is based on an English film ‘Little Boy.’
I had not seen ‘little Boy’. I got to know about it much later that there is a film called ‘Little Boy’ and that it was inspired from this film. So I said if Tubelight is inspired from that film then lets get the rights because I didn’t wanted any issue to rise up as I am producing this film and my Mother’s name is also included with this film. ‘Little Boy’ is story about a father and a son while our film is a story about two brothers who want to stop the war. In this film he wants to bring his father from the war. He is the boy who is made fun of in the whole village. He wants all of them to stop the war and wants the soldiers to get back to their families.
Shah Rukh Khan does a cameo in the film. How was it sharing screen space with him after a long time?
It was great working with him again. Shah Rukh Khan has done a day’s work. His character enters in the film at a very crucial time.
How difficult or easy was it for you to get your mom Salma Khan on board?
When we started the production company and when I saw the trailer I said “What is my name doing there?”. I wanted my name to be erased. Then they thought they should include her name. So they felt our names were lucky.
As a superstar, what kind of challenges do you face in your life?
It’s just your job, if you’re going to take it to your head, you will go crazy. What you see here is not this person at all.
How much does social media and trolls affect you?
If they think that they do, then they must be very sadly mistaken. I don’t check my Twitter anymore. People with false identity have taken it to the next level. I am really shocked that people can do like this. It reflects badly and their parents are blamed that they have been brought up badly. I think you will know more about me when you come up with your real identity. The false ones are still there. If you want to depict a false identity please don’t step into our industry.
You have earned a lot of name and fame. What do you want to achieve now?
I want to live my life moment to moment. At the moment I am trying to do my best. I feel when you give your best in that particular moment, your future will be brighter. So that’s the way I think.
The tagline of the film is ‘Kya Tumhe Yakeen Haai’. When your undergoing turmoil’s in your professional life, how do you assure yourself?
Whenever I feel low, I open my door, come out and look at my watchman, drivers there. I stand there for five minutes and go back inside happy. No matter how depressed I am, I feel they are still smiling out there with the salaries and job they get. So that’s the only thing I do.
