I look at Salman as a strong actor first and then a star: Ali
When it comes to Bollywood, many believe that there are stars and then there are actors. Salman Khan is one such actor who enjoys a superstar status and his superstardom has often overshadowed the actor in him. However, director Ali Abbas Zafar, who many feel is responsible for bringing out one of Salman’s career-best performance in 2016 film Sultan, does not want to take all the credit for it.
“He has been around for some 30 years and that is solely because his connect with the audience is phenomenal. I look at him a little differently. I look at him as a strong actor first and then a star. I explore that side of him. I always like to write performance-oriented scenes with him,” says Ali, who also directed Salman in his recent release, Bharat.
Ali also feels there is no point blaming stars for not showing their acting chops if that side of them is not explored by anyone. “Salman is very strong when it comes to doing emotional scenes, which very
few people explored in him. So in this film [Bharat] also, he has proved himself as an actor,” he adds.
The director also feels that “if you push a star with a good script, he would definitely act”. “If I am doing a film with a superstar, I will have to keep in mind that the script has to be really strong, otherwise the film will not be able to justice to him.”
Bharat is also Ali and Salman’s third film together, after Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017). And one would think that now the director has the comfort to approach the actor for any project he wants, but that’s not the case as Ali says he has to be cautious when it comes to Salman.
“Well, when you want to work with such a big superstar, you need to write a character for him that can do justice to his superstardom. So, my aim is always that. Whenever I go to him, I write a character which will make people see the actor in him and everyone can say that he has superseded their expectations,” says the director.
Sharing insights about their relationship over the years, Ali says, “Our bond is not that of an actor and director, we are more like brothers. Building that kind of relationship with him was crucial.”