'Partner'-in-arms

David Dhawan gets candid about his long-standing relationship with the actor

- Rajiv Vijayakar

David Dhawan, the man who has directed him in eight movies in the lead, twice more in cameos and once in a voiceover, reminisces on his everlastingly deep bond with the actor about whose heart he declares, “Usska dil to baccha hai ji!”

Excerpts from the interview:

How did you first meet him?

Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan, was writing Naam, and I was the film's editor. I was a great fan of Salim-saab, from whom one can learn a lot, and we would often meet at his house when the film was being made in 1985-’86. I first met Salman there. In 1987, I started out as a director with Taaqatwar, but it took a while for us to get together.

It was a full decade later with Judwaa.

Yes. I was busy establishing myself, and Salman became busy after Maine Pyar Kiya. Aur bahut zyaada hi mazaa aaya in working with this boy, who was always up to some prank! The kind of dual role he was doing here was new for him, but what he did in the film was extraordinary! Somewhere, the bud for writing is there within him and he is very good at spontaneously adding his own touches to his lines! As a filmmaker, I love improvisation and my script was never cast-iron. And Salman would never even ask for the story, or the full script. One thing I noted was that come Rishi Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Govinda or Sanjay Dutt, he was never insecure when I cast him with all of them! We had an amazing relationship of great mutual trust and faith!

Salman did two guest roles in your films.