Salaam Bollywood: Get ready for me on Eid

It is 12 noon at PVR Theatre in Juhu and Salman Khan is expected at the theatre any minute. One knows, because the photographers have taken their positions. His security guards have arrived and taken position too.

Some fans passing by notice the commotion approach his security and ask what time Salman is expected at the venue? The security prefers not to answer, when the fan persists, he says, “Pata nahi.” His PR manager arrives just then and asks photographers to display discipline because Salman is round the corner. The blushing fan tells her what the security has just told her to, which she replies, “He is perfectly on time. That is the thing about him “ek baar Salman ne commitment kar diya toh phir wo kissi ki nahi sunta.” Everybody around begins to laugh and just then Salman’s car drives into the compound.

From the compound to the elevator is just a few steps but the frenzy is maddening. Photographers and fans fall over each other to take pictures on camera and phones. The guards have a tough time cordoning the actor and escorting him upstairs. The rest of the team has already arrived and waiting in a special room for him. Without much ado the team is led inside the auditorium.

Led by Kabir Khan, director of ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ they get seated in the front row. The event begins with the trailer release of the film followed by requests for an encore. From the loud round of applause and the whistles it is evident that many fans have gate crashed into the event. They continue to cheer him and blow flying kisses. The theatre is jam packed and there are many hangers waiting on the aisle too. It takes a great effort from the anchor Mini Mathur to silence the excitement and get on with the show.

A colleague seated beside me points to a group of boys standing in the aisle and informs that all of them are Salman Khan loyalists, people he has helped over the years, or boys who have served him as spot in his past films and who look for opportunities to come and cheer him in his endeavors. I smile at one of them hiding in a corner and ask him if this is true. He nods, says bhai has done so much for him that he took a day off his job just to see him.

Director Kabir Khan tells us that he was flattered when Salman Khan singled him out for his debut production. “We had done ‘Ek Tha Tiger’, which broke the records and I wanted to do something better than that. It took some time but finally I had something that Salman would not be able to refuse.”

Salman, says, “Over the years, I have read hundreds of scripts, liked some and hated many but nothing has blown my brains the way this one did. I have always taken time to admit to a project but when Kabir narrated the idea to me and I fell instantly in love with the story. Missing this film would not have been the biggest mistake of my career but I would have never forgiven Kabir had he offered this film to another actor.”

Kabir Khan smiles and says, “Salman was my only choice because the character suited him and in fact when we began planning preproduction Salman was surprised that I had not planned any outdoor schedules. The film travels only in India and has been shot in some breathtaking locations. “That’s true” adds Salman, “The film will prove why foreigners describe our country as the incredible India. It baffles me why we keep going abroad to shoot our films when our country is the best.”

He is in a good mood and has everyone on the stage in splits, introduces the co-producer of the film, colleague Nawazudin Siddiqui as the actor he is getting used to having in all his films. Siddiqui is flattered by his praise, says it is a privilege to be directed by a talented director like Kabir Khan who is a master of documentaries and an honour to receive so much love and respect from Salman, who is also the producer of the film. “When actors shoot in the same city we don’t get as much time for interaction with the team. But when you are on outdoors you get to discover your co-actors and bond with them. For this film we have traveled to so many locations that we were all the time either on the flight, in the car, on the sets or in the hotel but always together. ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ has been the most memorable experience of my life.”

“Absolutely” drawls Kareena Kapoor who has been attentively listening to the others all this while. Salman holds Kareena Kapoor’s hand and says that she is the only actor he has had crush on since he was a little boy to which Kareena blushes and hides her face in her palms. Kareena says Salman is teasing her because she is the one who had a crush on Salman for the longest time, ever since she was a little girl and he was her sister Karisma Kapoor’s hero. “Salman is the only actor who has seen me in a night dress at home and has watched my career journey. I have been a part of all his home productions and I’m privileged to be the heroine of his debut as a producer. Every heroine wants to work with Salman and those who deny are lying! In this film he calls me behenji, it was so funny, every time he said so, we’d burst out laughing.”

Salman informs that the music rights of the film is with T Series and they know that the music is rocking when T Series owner Bhushan Kumar starts smiling. His smile gets broader as the business increases. My film is set to release on Eid next month and until then I wish everybody present in this room Happy Ramzan.”

It is time to leave and as Salman Khan moves to exit to find his way to car parking, photographers and fans follow him for picture and autographs. Salman moves fast his head down protected by his army of guards. The same fan catches hold of the same guard and asks. “Ab kahan jayenge Salman saab” and the guard gives the same reply, “Pata nahin”. The modest young boy who had been waiting in the aisle all this while quietly, tiptoes after the actor and just when he is about to get into the car springs before him and says, “Salaam Bhai” Salman looks up, recognises him, smiles and hugs him then patting his back asks “Theek ho?’’.

Are you surprised that is loyalists dote on Salman Khan the way they do… Are you surprised that everybody who knows him describes him as ‘Being Human’?

- Bhawana Somaaya