'I want to live like a normal guy'

Salman Khan, who recently landed in Mumbai after a shooting schedule in London, attended a rare public event to announce that he would indeed be back on Season 2 of his game show “10 Ka Dum”, which takes off on Saturday, May 30, on Sony TV.

We caught Salman in one of his coolest moods as he spoke about his return to the small screen and his four back-to-back films this year.

Here’s what he said…

You are back on ‘10 Ka Dum’. How was the experience of doing Season 1? Are there going to be any changes in the format in the new season?

It was a great experience last year and hence I am back on the show. About the format, I think what has worked so far should not be changed.

‘10 Ka Dum’ brought the real Salman Khan to the people. Can you tell us a bit more about the real you?

When we do a movie they think this guy is acting. But it is completely different when we do such a show. Everybody’s character has a lot of shades. Like what I am to you might not be the same as what I am to another person. The show brought out what I am in general.

We stars also have problems like everybody else. Somewhere it affects us too. So if we are not in the right mood and get rude with someone, we also call that person back and behave overtly nice as well to make him feel better.

What all did you learn while doing the show?

What I got to understand is that the way I think in general is how the masses think as well. So somewhere I have not been alienated from the common man.

I want to live my life like a normal guy. I want to travel in a rickshaw or go to Barista for a coffee like everybody else.

They expect me to be this star which I don’t want to be at all times. So when I don’t want to be the star you guys get a lot of material to write about me!

Coming to your fee for the show, we hear you have cut down on it. Is it true? How much have you charged?

Yes I have cut down on my price. But that is just by a small margin.

For now there are going to be 14 episodes of ‘10 Ka Dum’ only?

Yes, that is what they have decided as of now. I don’t know what the plans are after that.

On to films… What are your forthcoming releases?

The first movie to release probably would be ‘Wanted: Dead And Alive’, then I will have ‘Main aur Mrs Khanna’, then ‘London Dreams’. By Diwali we shall have ‘Veer’.

Four films in such a short span…wouldn’t that be too much for the audience?

What do you mean? I think it would be wonderful to release movies everyday! (Laughs)

How much of ‘Veer’ is complete?

We have finished the London schedule and Rajasthan schedule which was the most difficult. I thought it would be difficult to shoot action scenes for ‘Wanted’, but ‘Veer’ was way more difficult. Now we have some 35-40 days of shoot left.

You don’t seem to be doing films which have serious subjects.

There are so many problems in the world. So when I do a film I do it thinking that in those two hours I should make the person laugh and feel relieved and then go back to his regular life.

Even if you look at ‘Khamoshi’, it was a very serious film. The original script had no humour for my character. All the humour that you find in the film was put by me.

So Sanjay (Bhansali) used to take two takes of everything in both ways and after seeing how it went for some days he agreed that it works much better with humour. In fact, I keep asking him why he makes such sad films!

Any chances of ‘Bajirao Mastani’ happening?

I don’t think so. I don’t know what Sanjay (Bhansali) has to say about this though.

May 29 onwards, flims to releases at single screens

The United Producer and Distributor Forum (UPDF) have finally decided that they won't wait for the multiplexes to meet them mid-way on the revenue-sharing issue. The UPDF has now released a series of notifications through a trade magazine in the past week telling the producers that the new movies will be all set to release as early as this month-end.

A trade source reveals, "The UPDF and multiplexes have been at loggerheads for a while now. Last week, it had seemed that the deadlock between the two parties would be called off. But after both parties couldn't get to an agreement on the profit-sharing issue, the meeting was called off abruptly. After the meet, the producers had an informal get-together and decided that they would be releasing films May 29 onwards."

The source further adds, "All the films will be released in single screens and the promotions of the film which had come to a standstill will start once again soon. Another major thing the producers have decided is that there will be only solo releases and every film will have a two-week breathing time and no new film can release two weeks after a film has released. This will allow all the films to grow on the audiences and will showcase the unity of the producers."

The first film, which will release after the suspension is Vashu Bhagnani's Kal Kissne Dekha and from then on, films like New York, Hadippa, Shortkut, Luck, Jashn, Love Aaj Kal, Kambakkht Ishq, Kaminey, Agyaat and Main Aur Mrs Khanna and finally, Ajab Prem Ki Gajab Kahani will make their way to the single screens till the UPDF doesn't reach an agreement with multiplexes.