I DID NOT WANT TO ASK SALMAN BHAI TO ACT IN KISAAN

SOHAIL KHAN tells JYOTHI VENKATESH that it is never the actor but the character that an actor plays that makes a film click at the box office.

There was a time when he was just referred to as the youngest brother of Salman Khan. Over the years, ever since he had made his debut with Maine Dil Tujhko Diya opposite the then newcomer Sameera Reddy, Sohail Khan has come on his own and proved that he is not only just an actor but also a writer as well as a director, besides being a producer. Though his latest film as a producer cum writer cum leading man- Kisaan directed by Puneet Sira has not had a great opening at the box office, Sohail is happy that his performance in the film has been appreciated.

“Kisaan is the story of India. As a producer, though if I wish I can continue to churn out eye candy films like Partner, if I get the right opportunity I also want to make films which drive home good messages like Kisaan, because laughter does not touch your heart, like emotion does. I have seen films like Taare Zameen Par, Sholay and Mother India. By no stretch of imagination, can they be described as comedies but they ran at the box office. I am extremely glad that my film has now been exempted from entertainment tax as well.”

Sohail is of the opinion that you can make any genre of film only if you relate to it. “If I want to make a comedy, I will make it a point to sit with a director like David Dhawan, because I am creative as a producer. Yes. I am now all set to make Partner 2, as a sequel to my hit film Partner directed by David himself. If Kisaan proves a winner at the box office, I will certainly be encouraged to make an issue based film, like Kisaan once again. If God forbid, Kisaan flops, I have confidence that my next film Main Aurr Mrs Khanna will click at the box office. It stars Salman and Kareena Kapoor after a long hiatus after they did a serious film for Priyadarshan like Kyon Ki.”

Sohail confesses that he bought the rights for the song Mere Desh Ki Dharti and incorporated the remix song sung by Daler in his film Kisaan only because it has been his most favorite song over the years. “Honestly I wanted to come up with the same song with a new beat to lure the youngsters today to listen to the evergreen song.”

Sohail adds. “I was very happy when films like A Wednesday, Taare Zameen Par etc ran even while Kisaan was being made by me. If a film runs, it means that it is a good picture, because a bad film does not run. What you say is important, not how you say it. I should say that I am greatly indebted to my father for having encouraged me to make Kisaan. I am fortunate that I have a spectrum of thoughts as a writer as well as a creative producer. I shot Kisaan in just 40 days. I got an offer to shoot my film in London, but I turned it down because I did not want to have its first premiere in London since I was keen on having a premiere in India itself, because the film, as I said earlier is all about India and its soul.”

Sohail says candidly that if he wanted, he could have easily asked Salman bhai to do a cameo role in the film but did not because he felt that film ki sincerety mein daag lag jaati thi, in that case. “I believe in doing my job with imaan. It is not the actor but the character that makes a film a hit or else Amitabh Bachchan would not have churned out even a single flop in his entire career. Why do you think big stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan or for that matter Salman bhai have given flops? If I remove Jackie Shroff from Kisaan, the film will drop, because he suits the character to the T.”

Sohail’s brother Arbaaz Khan is also all set to launch his own film as a producer titled Dabang, based on the story of a corrupt cop played by Salman Khan with Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter Sonakshi Sinha as the leading lady. As an actor, Sohail is playing the role of a kabab mein haddi between Salman Khan and Kareena in Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, directed by Prem Soni. In Do Knot Disturb directed by David Dhawan, he is playing an entirely different role with Govinda, Ritesh Deshmukh and Lara Dutta and a stellar role in Season’s Greetings directed by Vickie Chopra.

-Sampurn Media