I don’t behave like a star: Salman Khan

Bollywood actor attributes people like his father who helped build 'Salman Khan'

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, whose name alone makes headlines, claims that he does 'not behave like a star' and that his image stems from people's perception of him.

According to The Indian Express, this Bollywood actor chooses not to revel in stardom or the celebrity lifestyle, instead he chooses to remain humble and down-to-earth.

Read: Salman Khan says he's a better singer than SRK

"I don’t take stardom seriously at all. I don’t behave like a star and I don’t live like a star. It is how people perceive me," he said.

And that is reflected in his casual attire. The megastar chooses to sport simple T-shirts and jeans wherever he goes, and steers clear of flashy clothes.

"I am wearing a T-shirt worth INR550, jeans which are 15 years old and shoes which are there since the past 20 years, that’s it. What makes people treat me as a star is the image which is transferred to me through my on-screen characters," said Salman.

The Kick star attributes people like his father who have helped build 'Salman Khan' and the image and perceptions associated with him:

"People like Sooraj Barjatya, my dad (Salim Khan) and Deepak Bahry have made me. Thousands of people have helped me build this image. After spending so many years in the industry, I now have the liberty to select scripts, but before that I had no say," said the actor.

Even after 25 years in the film industry, Salman says his on-screen characters are reflected on his personality and the name he has become: "I worked with so many directors and writers and learned what I should choose and what not. So, this is not me but the scripts I selected. The people I chose to work with are responsible for building this monster," he explained.

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He is always in the spotlight for being a 'bad boy' and faces plenty of criticism for his actions but this star doesn't let that deter him, he has developed a strong skin for naysayers.

"I don’t take criticism at all unless and until it comes from someone really close or someone who knows me well or if it comes from within me. People may criticise me but they will eventually realise they were wrong," says the actor confidently.

He has taken many Bollywood aspirants under his wing, namely Sonakshi Sinha, Arjun Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and music composer Himesh Reshamiya. The latest star kids on the block who Salman has launched are Athiya Shetty, daughter of Sunil Shetty, and Sooraj Pancholi.

"A proper launch for a newcomer is very important. There have been films where someone was launched and the film worked, but what after that? The last person who was properly launched as a hero in the industry was Hrithik Roshan. Even Shahid Kapoor didn’t have that launch," he said explaining the need to launch new talent.

On whether or not he picked the right talent to launch, Salman opens up about the pressure he faces and how the fall will affect him the most.

"The pressure of the movie becoming a success is more on me. I don’t want to let them down. The choice of the director and the script was mine. So, if anything goes wrong here, it comes on my head. But, whatever the fate of the film, I believe that these two are going to make it big.

Read: Salman denies Madhuri was paid more for 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun'

"I saw something in these two which made me put my money on them. I am putting my money with an assurance of return," he said.

His latest venture Hero, is a remake of 1983 film of the same name featuring Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri.

The film will release on September 11.