Salman Khan at Bajrangi Bhaijaan press conference in Srinagar.
New Delhi:
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan met the press for the first time in an eventful few weeks in which he was convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, given a jail sentence of five years, was given bail by the High Court, and returned to Kashmir to complete filming director Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
Speaking to the media on May 17 in Srinagar, the 49-year-old actor said he'd like to return to the Valley and learn the language as well: "Be it for films, family vacations or honeymoon, people should visit this place. It is the most beautiful place on planet earth. The people are very gentle, well mannered, beautiful and simple. I enjoyed my stay here and Insha Allah (God willing) will again visit very soon. I request all that the way I came here, they should visit too. If you have not seen Kashmir, then you have not seen anything."
He also said, "I haven't got a chance to absorb the local language, would like to learn of course. Once I am adept in Hindi and English, then I'll move on to Kashmiri."
Dressed in the black pathani suit that is his Bajrangi Bhaijaan costume, Salman said that he hopes theatres in Kashmir would re-open: "Theatres should open here. People here love to watch films, have to resort to pirated DVDs; but they love films, Bollywood. From grandfather to grandchildren, they all watch movies. Theaters should definitely be here because I think all of you love movies and love entertainment and they will also be a revenue model."
Movie theatres in militancy-hit Kashmir were shut down in 1989 and have remained closed ever since despite efforts to have them re-opened in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The insurgency also meant the Bollywood steered clear of Kashmir, once a favourite filming locale. Filmmakers have recently begun trickling back to the Valley, with Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider, Fitoor starring Katrina Kaif and now Bajrangi Bhaijaan being shot there. Salman urged that this continue: "Kashmir is a beautiful place. I am in love with this place. We are fools that we go to Switzerland for shooting our films when we have everything here. There are so many places to explore here on films."
He also said, "I wanted to come here for Dabangg also, but it did not materialize. Our prime reason for shooting here was to promote tourism in the Valley. We are here to invite the whole country, foreign countries to Kashmir, to come and see this beautiful place."
Salman refused to comment on the politics of Kashmir saying, "When we (actors) are in a position to comment about such things, we'll surely do so." He was only too happy to discuss his role in the film, however. "I'm right now trying to do films that are larger than life, something that I can learn from. I try and follow those characters as much as possible," he said.
The actor also said that Bajrangi Bhaijaan "is a very beautiful film, very peaceful. It gives out a subtle message in a humorous and lighthearted manner."
The Bajrangi Bhaijaan unit has spent the last few days shooting in Sonmarg and the chilly heights of Zoji La. The film co-stars Kareena Kapoor and will be the first of Salman's two films this year to release. Director Kabir Khan, who addressed the press with Salman, said in a tweet that the film would release this Eid as scheduled.
Speaking to the media on May 17 in Srinagar, the 49-year-old actor said he'd like to return to the Valley and learn the language as well: "Be it for films, family vacations or honeymoon, people should visit this place. It is the most beautiful place on planet earth. The people are very gentle, well mannered, beautiful and simple. I enjoyed my stay here and Insha Allah (God willing) will again visit very soon. I request all that the way I came here, they should visit too. If you have not seen Kashmir, then you have not seen anything."
He also said, "I haven't got a chance to absorb the local language, would like to learn of course. Once I am adept in Hindi and English, then I'll move on to Kashmiri."
Dressed in the black pathani suit that is his Bajrangi Bhaijaan costume, Salman said that he hopes theatres in Kashmir would re-open: "Theatres should open here. People here love to watch films, have to resort to pirated DVDs; but they love films, Bollywood. From grandfather to grandchildren, they all watch movies. Theaters should definitely be here because I think all of you love movies and love entertainment and they will also be a revenue model."
Movie theatres in militancy-hit Kashmir were shut down in 1989 and have remained closed ever since despite efforts to have them re-opened in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The insurgency also meant the Bollywood steered clear of Kashmir, once a favourite filming locale. Filmmakers have recently begun trickling back to the Valley, with Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider, Fitoor starring Katrina Kaif and now Bajrangi Bhaijaan being shot there. Salman urged that this continue: "Kashmir is a beautiful place. I am in love with this place. We are fools that we go to Switzerland for shooting our films when we have everything here. There are so many places to explore here on films."
He also said, "I wanted to come here for Dabangg also, but it did not materialize. Our prime reason for shooting here was to promote tourism in the Valley. We are here to invite the whole country, foreign countries to Kashmir, to come and see this beautiful place."
Salman refused to comment on the politics of Kashmir saying, "When we (actors) are in a position to comment about such things, we'll surely do so." He was only too happy to discuss his role in the film, however. "I'm right now trying to do films that are larger than life, something that I can learn from. I try and follow those characters as much as possible," he said.
The actor also said that Bajrangi Bhaijaan "is a very beautiful film, very peaceful. It gives out a subtle message in a humorous and lighthearted manner."
The Bajrangi Bhaijaan unit has spent the last few days shooting in Sonmarg and the chilly heights of Zoji La. The film co-stars Kareena Kapoor and will be the first of Salman's two films this year to release. Director Kabir Khan, who addressed the press with Salman, said in a tweet that the film would release this Eid as scheduled.
