(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Lman Khan opens up to City Times about what gives him a kick in real life and why its important to keep learning in life as well as films I’m just zoning a bit so I may answer in monosyllables – yes no maybe perhaps” said a slightly distracted Salman Khan as he lounged outside his trailer in Mumbai post a press conference that featured some explosive action scenes from his latest film Kick out now in the UAE.
City Times caught up with the headstrong and often controversial star at Mehboob Film Studios in Mumbai last week where he made an appearance with co-star Jacqueline Fernandez and director Sajid Nadiadwala to promote Kick.
Salman while appearing quite relaxed at the press conference told us later that he had been feeling unwell since the previous day and immediately proceeded to pop some meds. That however did not stop him from talking up his latest release whose high-on-thrills trailer seems to suggest it’s an out-and-out commercial entertainer not unlike films like Dabangg and Wanted and is thus likely to be a hit with hardcore fans that have grown accustomed to seeing him in an action avatar. You seem to have pulled out all the stops for this film. What was the best thing about your role I get to do all the things that I’ve always wanted to do; people get to see them and I get paid for it. And people like that. I’m just having fun. Action is fun if done with a lot of safety and precaution and if it is well-planned and choreographed. Shooting action is tiring but a lot of fun. The tagline of the film is ‘Get your Kick this Eid.’ What gives you a ‘kick’ in real life
Everything. I got a kick last night (laughs). And in the morning as well. The real one was the one I got in the morning. (He did not explain further but his smirk made us conclude it was probably a private joke). I like to do anything and everything that feels good. Stuff that I don’t have to repent about the next morning or next day stuff that is not going to cause anybody any pain. Whatever you do in your daily routine the things that make you happy are what I get a kick from. Karan Johar has confirmed you are starring in his pet (and controversial) project Shuddhi. How different is the film from Kick
Ah Shuddhi… that’s a long way away. But Kick was a joyride - the making of the film the whole process and journey. Everyone was really eager to do their best and they have all managed to do that. Everybody’s job has complemented the other person’s like the way cinematographer Ayananka Bose has made us look and made the film look. It just gives Sajid Nadiadwala a different dimension as a director. He’s getting credit for Bose’s work as well. I’m getting credit for the way Bose has made me look in the film. The action team has done an amazing job of making me look cool doing all those stunts. One of the music directors has even made me sound good in a new song. So there’s a lot of hard work that has gone into the making of Kick and there is a lot of pleasure doing that kind of work. Especially when whatever you do gets appreciated to this level it’s a great feeling. Would you say you have got the most creative satisfaction out of doing Kick More than with any other film
There has to be a reason why you sign a particular film. It’s because it has to be bigger and better than the last one otherwise there’s no point… it’s like going backwards. The day that starts happening it means that I have stopped my work because there’s no point of working if there’s no ‘kick’ in it.
We recently spoke to your Maine Pyar Kiya co-star Bhagyashree who is starring in a new TV series. She was all praise for you and said she felt you had come full circle in your career and seemed comfortable in the place you were in at the moment. What are your thoughts on this
I’m happy for her (new serial). And it’s really nice that she feels that way about me but I feel I’ve just started that circle. And I’m not going to… I don’t want to complete that circle. I want to go into an ‘8’ – an infinity! I want to keep challenging myself at every given point of time. Learning something trying something learning something more trying something harder. Both in films and in life. You are working with director Sooraj Barjatya after over a decade. He made some memorable family-oriented films with you like Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun. What’s it like teaming up with him this time around on Prem Ratan Dhan Payo
It’s amazing but it’s also very difficult to get back to that place to feel that kind of character to believe in him and feel that he is you. Sooraj and me have gone in different directions in terms of movies. I grew into films like Dabangg and Wanted and even the comedy genre with No Entry and Ready. And now I feel I have to come back and catch up with Sooraj and his genre. Is this (genre) something you want to do more of in the future I’ll keep on doing whatever sounds good and whatever interests me. This will make me look forward to working the next day. I want to get up and I want to shoot; I don’t want to say something like ‘cancel shooting I don’t want to go to work’ - if I get that feeling I will not be able to work. I need to know the script; I need to know that I’m going to have another 150-day holiday. So till the time I don’t get those holidays… I’m bored. I need that vacation of a film. Salman on the cult classic comedy Andaaz Apna Apna which recently celebrated its twentieth anniversary:
“We weren’t invited for it (laughs). I just remember that when we were shooting the film every take every simple take would go into like small shots – we used to go into 25-30 rehearsals and 25-30 takes because all of us used to just crack up. And then the more the people the more the takes because somebody or the other bloody laughed (sic). Aamir (Khan) was just shooting for one film the others (Raveena Tandon and Karishma Kapoor) were shooting two or three films and everybody knew that we would come finish our work and run to the next set. But it never used to end.
The film was delayed because we could not complete the climax and then we had to leave because we were shooting other films. Finally we all came together and completed the film in about 15 days.
I wish the film could have done well in the cinemas as well. It released on a Friday and came off on a Monday-Tuesday. It was like a big disaster but it became really popular later it does so well on satellite TV and people have their own DVD’s Andaaz Apna Apna contests also their favourite lines from the film. That feels good.” CT REVIEW
For the kick of it
Salman Khan’s Kick is perfectly tailored for his fans with a few surprising extras says Deepa Gauri
Making a Salman Khan movie of late is a challenging task. First you have to please his diehard loyalists who simply adore him no matter what he does. They are a sizeable majority but sadly not large enough to ensure that any Salman Khan film will be a runaway hit as the box-office failure of the star’s earlier outing Jai Ho proves. That is why you also have to take into consideration the fence-sitter the average moviegoer who might be curious enough to take a look at what the man is up to now and yet not return from the theatre disappointed. Kick tries to satisfy both audiences – and that is no mean task.
Let us be real: A Sajid Nadiadwala film (his directorial debut) that too a remake of Ravi Teja’s Telugu flick by the same name also made in Tamil as Thillalangadi with Jayam Ravi is not the ideal recipe for a path-breaking Bollywood film.
What made the original Kick endearing was Ravi Teja’s comic timing and boy-next-door antics. Salman Khan is no longer a boy. To tailor what is already a convoluted plot in his favour meant taking his role to the next dimension – yes the superhero.
So between Devi Lal Singh (Salman) who is seeking a kick out of everything in life (which his heartbroken fiancée – played by Jacqueline Fernandes - at one point defines as obsessive compulsive disorder) and Devil the smart-alec thief who gives the chase to inspector Himanshu (Randeep Hooda) Kick tries to venture into superhuman territory. That characterisation of Salman indeed is for his fans.
Now here is how Sajid Nadiadwala tries to placate the rest of the filmgoers. For a change Salman does not roar. Not known for being a great actor he in fact underplays his role keeping the decibel down.
He also tries to celebrate imperfections: For the first time you see a Bollywood hero dancing with deliberate clumsiness during the bar-dance scenes. Sajid also brings some likeable cross-references to yesteryear Hindi films in the use of backdrop songs – one that will connect with many.
Kick has loveable music by Himesh Reshammiya and an outstanding sound design by Oscar-winner Resool Pookutty. In fact the first thing you might notice of the film is the way ‘sound’ is handled and how the visuals by Ayananka Bose play out.
Kick has a rush of talent. From among the recent crop of Salman films Jacqueline is undoubtedly the best and is elegance personified. Although Randeep falters in the beginning – having to mouth the same lines – (‘how funny how amusing how strange etc’ in response to Jacqueline’s flashback story of Devi Lal) he redeems himself in the climax.
As the villain the talented Nawazuddin Siddiqui could have been the real surprise factor – sadly he is made to squeak for no reason. But trust him to bring his touch – and you will see that towards the climax.
Making an ideal view for Eid Kick comes with no vulgarity and double meaning dialogues and of course once again reminds in vintage Salman-style the value of being human.
Although Salman tells us to just love him and not try to comprehend him here is another explanation to the ‘Great Salman Khan Mystery’ derived from Kick: For all of Salman’s excesses and devil-may-care attitude he does make a large majority of people feel that ‘being human’ also means to get another positive chance in life. Being human Salman reminds us is not just redemptive but also cathartic.
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