EXCLUSIVE: Kabir Khan explains how Bajrangi Bhaijaan is an anomaly in Salman Khan's career, 'It's an antithesis of...'

Pink Villa

17-07-2025

Kabir Khan is a happy man as he celebrates 10 years of his classic, Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The celebrated director shared insights into his creative process and the making of his iconic film featuring Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Harshaali Malhotra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and others, in a candid telephonic interview recently. He also gave an update on his upcoming movie projects.
Kabir Khan Clarifies That Salman Khan Was Always His First Choice To Play Pawan In Bajrangi Bhaijaan
For Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Kabir Khan envisioned Salman Khan as the titular character from the start. While the film's story, penned by V. Vijayendra Prasad, might have been pitched to Aamir Khan first, Kabir could only picture Salman embodying Bajrangi's innocence and heart. 'Salman felt very strongly about what the film stands for,' Kabir said, emphasizing the actor's deep connection to the movie's message of humanity and unity. This conviction made Salman the perfect fit for a role that was unlike the action-packed characters he was known for at the time.
Kabir Khan Explains How Bajrangi Bhaijaan Is An Anomaly In Salman Khan's Filmography
Coming off the success of Ek Tha Tiger, a high-octane action film, Kabir's decision to make Bajrangi Bhaijaan surprised many in the industry. 'Everyone said, 'Why would you try to reinvent when you worked on something so accepted?'' he recalled. The film was a bold departure from the action-heavy blockbusters dominating Salman's career during that phase. "It's an antithesis of the kind of Salman Khan films that worked in that phase", he explained. Kabir described Bajrangi Bhaijaan as an 'anomaly' in Salman's filmography, a project that stood out for its emotional depth and simplicity, and not for the action, style and charisma. Salman's passion for the story's spirit drove him to embrace the role with unmatched dedication, making the film a resounding success.
Kabir Khan Shares A Golden Rule About Screenplays That He Still Implements
Kabir's approach to filmmaking is rooted in discipline, particularly in the screenplay stage. He spends significant time perfecting his scripts, ensuring every scene serves a purpose. 'The test of my screenplay is simple,' he explained. 'If I delete a scene, does it pull or tug other scenes or not? If it doesn't, it has no business being in the screenplay.' This principle, which he learned early in his career during the making of New York, has become something he has imbibed into the scripts of all of his other films.
While working with Aditya Chopra, Kabir was advised by Yash Chopra to avoid shooting scenes that weren't essential. 'Yash Ji said, 'If you don't plan to keep it, this scene was never meant to be,'' Kabir recalled, calling it a golden rule he follows to this day.
Why Does Bajrangi Bhaijaan Not Have Any Deleted Scenes?
This approach is precisely also the reason why Bajrangi Bhaijaan has almost no deleted scenes. Kabir writes crisp screenplays, trimming unnecessary moments on paper before filming begins. 'Most of my films have no deleted scenes,' he said. In Bajrangi Bhaijaan, there was only a brief moment between Salman Khan and Sharad Saxena that didn't make the final cut, but it was too minor to even qualify as a full scene. This precision ensures that every frame in his films contributes to the story, leaving no room for excess.
Kabir Khan's Upcoming Projects; Is Bajrangi Bhaijaan 2 Happening?
Looking ahead, Kabir remains in close touch with Salman Khan, frequently discussing potential projects. Both are keen on a Bajrangi Bhaijaan sequel but are determined not to rush it. 'We won't make it just to add another hit to our filmography,' Kabir emphasized.
Kabir has been busy, developing three new scripts over the past nine months. He plans to announce his next project within a month. He also plans to return to the action genre for the first time since Phantom, soon.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates on Kabir Khan and Salman Khan.