The only person you should race against is yourself: Salman Khan gets candid

Salman Khan’s next film is aptly titled Race 3. The context is perfect because for a long time now, the superstar has been running a race by himself and has consistently set new parameters. He keeps reorganising the goal posts with each subsequent release. Every time SK’s report card comes, new records are set. Six days before his action thriller opens in cinemas, here’s what the actor had to say to After Hrs.

The only person you seem to be racing against is yourself...

The only person you should ever race against is yourself. When you do that, you take your own level up. That is the most satisfying yet the most painful thing. Until the audience sees your pain, the hard work that you have put in to look your best, to fight and still appear effortless on screen, they do not appreciate you. I’ve always believed that instead of putting someone’s level down, one should continuously attempt to raise that of your own. One is in a race to raise one’s level higher. Everyone is building their own quality quotient. You are encouraged by watching your seniors to rise to their standard, while the juniors motivate you to raise the bar, so the table doesn’t drop.

In Tiger Zinda Hai (TZH), you did a lot of action. How different is it here?

TZH’s action was rustic. In Race 3, there are cars, bikes and physical jumps from greater heights, etc. The action is not only hand-to-hand combats but is also stylised. When you’re fighting for your family, it’s a different emotion altogether. You know there will be twists and turns at the end of the film, but you don’t know what they will be when you’re watching it. You will be guessing who is with whom and when that opens up, you go into flashback and understand kisne kiske saath kya game kiya hai. That’s also the film’s format. This is also different from the previous Race films. It’s a whole new movie. I wanted this to be a U-rated film, but we got U/A due to the action scenes.

Who is Salman Khan worried about? Is it Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan or other contemporaries?

Salman Khan is worried about Salman Khan every single day. I’m not the most politically correct person you will meet. And, I think it is important for one to be right. It’s the best thing.  You are called the grassroots man. Why do you think you got this tag? That is the upbringing given to me by my parents. I spent my childhood with my family and friends. I have lived on farmlands, with kisaans till the age of 16 in Indore from where my father hails. All through my growing up years, for a few months each year, I’ve seen the metros as well as rural areas. I know the language of the city and the heartland. That is my plus point. I’m fortunate my father was from there. It’s important to sit with people who are a lot more intelligent and experienced than you are, instead of those who just praise you. Sometimes in life, it is important to listen rather than trying to win every argument. You may not get it at that point of time, but a few years later, you understand the value of sitting with more informed and intelligent people who have compassion. That has been my journey.

Why do you say it is not important to win every conversation?

When you jump from one topic to another, you’re trying to impress the other guy. In the process, you have not only digressed from and forgotten the topic you were originally talking about, but after a point, you are not even focussing. You just want to disagree with that person and win the debate.

Such things are not important because you know the other person isn’t going to change. At most, you put forth your point and keep quiet. The other person will eventually do what he feels is right. There is no need to constantly show that you are intelligent. Sometimes, it is more important to just listen. Obviously, you do that with your loved ones.

In the 30 years that you’ve been in the industry, who do you see as your friends and who are your enemies?

I don’t have enemies. It’s just that I don’t like a few people. It’s very obvious because I make no bones about it. Just because someone is born a few years before me, it’s no reason for me to respect him. If that person keeps on disrespecting me or any member of my family, I refuse to give him due regard.

There are one or two families from whom I have not got that respect and love. That’s where it ends. Some people from the industry will never be welcomed in my home.

I definitely believe that whether someone is a senior or a junior, you shouldn’t be disrespectful to them. Especially, if you are working with them. However, if that person is taking you for an idiot and is being disrespectful, then that’s not done.

You’ve rediscovered Bobby Deol; and he even calls you ‘Angel Mamu’?

Bobby and I were meant to work with each other for the first time in Vipul Shah’s London Dreams. But that didn’t happen and Ajay Devgn stepped in because Bobby realised he had already done a film on similar lines.

Having said that, there was a point when he was just laid back. And he slipped off the radar for a bit. It happened to me too. You just need to get back on track. You need to go out and give your best. There was a time when Akshay Kumar and Bobby were at par. In fact, I would even say Bobby was the bigger star. But Akki worked harder and went on to become much bigger and Bobby was just chilled out.. When you’re going through such a phase, you’re the last person to know what is happening around you. And when realisation dawns, you’re shocked. You ask yourself, yeh kaise ho gaya?

In this industry, if you’re not successful at the box office, they will not touch you. They will exploit you into doing small roles and you go down further. Then, you’re done with. Bobby took himself down and it’s Bobby who brought himself back up.

You do agree that Bobby is in good form?

He’s never looked better and worked so hard in his entire life than he has in this film. I don’t believe in this whole thing that if, at one time, you’re not doing well, you will be forgotten. John Travolta came back after 20 years. Shah Rukh Khan came from TV and became a superstar, I’m the son of a writer and Ajay Devgn is the son of a fight master who went on to become an action director. All of us worked hard to be where we are. We all made it, but a lot of big star kids didn’t.

Star kids don’t necessarily have it easy, right?

It doesn’t matter which family you belong to, it’s how you are and how people accept you. One good thing about Bobby is that he understood this and said he wanted to work. Even when he said this seriously, people were panicking; ki yeh bol toh raha hai, but is he serious enough? Now that the film is over, I can tell you that Bobby has been an inspiration.

In this industry, too, like in any business, you want your movies to make money. But you also need the right kind of film. Luckily, Race 3 was apt for Bobby and me. Just like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi was the correct movie for me to do with Akki. I told Bobby that when I was going through a bad phase, I piggybacked on his brother, Sunny Deol in Jeet and later on Sanjay Dutt in Saajan. I think that’s the right way. We are one fraternity, we are in it together.

Many years ago, you used to go to the Deols’ residence frequently…

Yes, and Dharamji (Dharmendra) is everyone’s hero. He’s the first successful romantic He-Man, with a soft, wonderful face.

Even you’re in the same mould...

That’s how you mould yourself, subconsciously. These things happen. However, nature-wise I always wanted to be like my parents. I like the way they are. All of us want to be like our parents, because of the good qualities they teach us. The reason you do certain kinds of films is that you influence the audience to take something back home. You must believe in the character that you portray on screen. At least 25 per cent of that character should be adapted by you in your own personality and your real life. Hence, I’m not interested in doing anything negative. I believe in keeping the family together and fighting for the right causes.