Sooraj R. Barjatya made Salman Khan wait for 6 months for ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. Here’s why

Sooraj R. Barjatya in a candid conversation with Filmy

Veteran film-maker Sooraj R. Barjatya gave Bollywood one of its all-time favourite romantic hits with his directorial debut ‘Maine Pyar Kiya' in 1989, catapulting Salman Khan to stardom. Ahead of completing 35 years of the film, Barjatya went back in time, and took Filmy on a behind-the-scenes journey of the movie.

In the inaugural episode of Filmy's new interview-series ‘Director Diaries', Barjatya recalls keeping Salman Khan on hold for six months, before signing him for the iconic role of ‘Prem'.

"We wanted to cast fresh faces in the film, and it was during one of the auditions that Salman's name was suggested to us. We saw his photographs, and they were electrifying, so we reached out to him, but he was already doing a side role in ‘Biwi Ho Toh Aisi', and since we wanted a new face, we went back to auditioning others," Barjatya says in the 9-minute episode.

"During these six months, Salman even recommended other actors to us for the role, however his innocence won us over, and that is how we found our hero."

The 59-year-old patriarch of Rajshri Films also recalls being hesitant about writing the screenplay of the film.

"I asked my father for a writer, but he insisted on me writing it to retain the rawness of the story and film. I ended up writing the first draft of the dialogues in English, before translating them to Hindi," the man behind classics like ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!' and ‘Vivah' says about his first film.

The newly-launched 'Director's Diaries' series by Filmy follows film-makers as they narrate untold stories and struggles, explore their experiences on set and dissect the creative processes that went into bringing some of their most iconic films to life. The show transcends conventional making-of documentaries, providing fans with an immersive experience that unveils hidden, intricate layers and human stories behind cinematic masterpieces that shaped their movies. Discussions at 'Director's Diaries' cover all aspects of film-making including script development, cinematography, character molding, costume design, and more.

Upcoming episodes of the show promise exclusive conversations with R Balki for his film 'Paa' and Mukesh Chhabra for 'Dil Bechara', among others.

Filmy, the entertainment channel of NEWJ, is the one-stop shop for all things films and content. From exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses to celebrity spotlights and the latest in pop-culture, Filmy offers an unparalleled entertainment experience.

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