Full Name : Salman Khan
Star : Capricorn
DOB : December 27, 1965
Place of Birth : Bombay, India
Age : 32
Height : 5 ' 9"
Eyes : Brown
Hair : Black
Brothers : Arbaaz Khan, & Sohail Khan
Father : Salim Khan
Famous For : Keeping his top off
Best Movies : Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aap Ke Hain Kaun, Sajan, Hum Saath Saath Hain
Vital Statistics : Bicep 17', Chest 42', Waist 29'
Address :- 3 Galaxy Apartments, BJ Road,
Bandra, Mumbai 400 050

(Source : www.pyara.com)

GETTING PERSONAL (Q&A)

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
The kind of contentment I am experiencing right now.

Which living persons do you most admire?
My father and my mother - theyre the best for me.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Nothing. Why should I waste my time assessing others?

What is your greatest weakness?
I cant tell - its too personal to reveal.

On what occasion do you lie?
I dont lie at all, and I mean it.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Nothing, yaar. God has been kind to me.

Which living person do you most despise?
I dont despise anyone - if I dont like them, they dont matter.

What is your greatest regret?
Thankfully for myself, I have no regrets whatsoever. And whats more, Im proud of that.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Nothing at all. Its a package deal - take it or leave it.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
To have got the kind of family I do.

If you were to die, and come back as a person or thing, what would it be?
Id like to come back as my father.

What do you value most in friends?
Their honesty.

First Films :
Biwi Ho To Aisi (in a supporting role)
Maine Pyar Kiya (in a leading role)


Nature:
Moody and unpredicatable. Can be very caring, very protective, very loving, and also childishly petulant.


Style of Clothing:
Very rarely wears formals. Loves to wear casuals especially, black and blue, tight fitting jeans with shirts and T-shirts. Shops in London and ocasionally, in Singapore. Mostly wears Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace.


Plus Points :
Can be irresistable when he wants to.

MORE ON SALMAN...

I Pack...
...in a hurry and casually. I'm not particular about what I take as long as I am comfortable. Even a few shirts and a pair of jeans is fine with me.
...my shorts. It is a must because I need to exercise everyday.
...my dumb-bells. I need to work-out daily. Without work-outs my day is incomplete. While abroad I make it a point to visit the gymnasium.
...my perfumes and glares. I just can't do without them.
...my luggage. It's taken in advance while I reach the airport just in time for my filght.

I Travel...
...to London off an on. It's a beautiful place to be in. The river Thames, Big Ben and the trams of the city fascinate me. Recently when I visited the city I travelled by tube and had a ball. It brought back memories of my childhood. The last time I had travelled by the tube was at 15. I also have close family friends residing there. Other than that I love to walk down the streets and go berserk shopping for belts, shoes, and clothes.
...in a relaxed state of mind. But people who are travelling with me get hyper with my coolness. Often it has happened that I have arrived just in the nick of time to catch a flight. 'What if we had missed it?' is the common complaint made by my friends.
...on my outdoor location shootings only by car. I detest travelling by buses. They give me a feeling of uneasiness.
...by first class only.

Family :
Mother - Salma Khan
Father - Salim Khan (story Writer)
Sisters - Alvira Khan, Arpita Khan
Brothers - Arbaaz Khan(actor), Sohail Khan(actor)
Sister-in-Law - Seema Sachdev
Brother-in-Law - Atul Agnihotri(actor)

Ex-Girlfriends : Sangeeta Bijlani, Somy Ali, Aishwarya Rai

First Films :
Biwi Ho To Aisi (in a supporting role)
Maine Pyar Kiya (in a leading role)
Best Performances :
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Sajan, Maine Pyar Kiya
Famous For :
Taking off his shirt in everyother scene
Movie with most topless scenes :
Judwaa with Karishma Kapoor
Changes since entering Bollywood :
Shaved his chest. Also, added 25 lbs, and most of them muscles
Favorite Actress to work with :
Karishma Kapoor
Most linked with :
Sangeeta Bijlani, who later married Cricketer Azheruddin
TV Commercials :
Coca Cola ad with Sunil Shetty, Lakhani Chappal with Sangeeta Bijlani, Gwalior Shooting with Sangeeta Bijlani
Style of Clothing :
Very rarely wears formals. Loves to wear casuals especially, black and blue, tight fitting jeans with shirts and T-shirts. Shops in London and ocasionally, in Singapore. Mostly wears Giorgio Armani and Gianni Versace.
Plus Points :
Can be irresistable when he wants to.

(Source : www.pyara.com)

SALMAN KHAN - BOLLYWOOD'S HUNK

(Source : www.bollywoodonweb.com)


Hes found the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Marriage is on the cards, and hes certain hell make a great father. Salman Khan talks to Rajeev Masand about all things close to his heart.
After four big hits last year, 1999 started on a rather dull note, what with Jaanam Samjha Karo bombing at the box-office. Was that upsetting?
Of course, nobody enjoys failure, but I dont think Jaanam Samjha Karo was a disaster. It was a commission earner, and besides, for my own part. I knew well in advance that the film wasnt going to be a huge hit. In fact, Id told the filmmakers right in the beginning that this subject was to similar to Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai which Id already done, but they have been unethical on my part to back out at that stage because Id already given them my dates. I just wish theyd made a different subject, because the director And alibi Sultanpuri is very good, and hed have done a good job.

So where do you think it really went wrong?
It was a weak subject, and besides if really wasnt an extraordinary film. I guess it was expected to fail, In any case, I dont think fans should endorse a film because their favourite actor is in it. They should go see it because the Subject interest them. And that that clearly wasnt the case in Jaanam Samjha Karo.

And your other mindless film, Biwi No.1. has gone on to become very successful...
Its not mindless or senseless, may I warn you. If it was, it wouldnt become such a phenomenal success. Truth is, Biwi No.1 is a film that people could identify with, because its the kind of thing that happens in almost every home. Only, the story was treated comically.

And the unfaithful husband that you played in the film emerged a hero nonetheless...
Yes, but thats exactly the tricky bit about the movie, because the hero of the film is actually and bad guy. It was both important and difficult for David (director David Dhawan) and me to make sure that although this guy was a rascal, he emerge lovable at the end. So comedy was the only solution.

Youve been appreciated for your comic performances several times. Is that something that comes easily to you?
Actually, comedy is something is something thats inherent in my family. My dad is a funny man, both my brothers Arbaaz and Sohail have a great sense of humor. Even my relatives from my mums side are all extremely funny, so I guess I tap from real life when Im doing comic scenes.

Are you a funny person yourself?
Not really. Do I look like Im a funny guy?

No, you seem so much more serious instead.
I guess I fluctuate...But comedy is quite tough. And especially so for someone like me who plays lead roles. Its easy for Johny Lever to appear funny because he has a funny face. Even Govinda is a funny looking man. But I have to try harder.

Do you necessarily need a director to bring out the best in you?
I need the director to control me.

Do you consider yourself a natural actor?
I dont consider myself an actor at all. I just do what I feel.

But you do a good job on screen...
You think so? I dont really know. I dont think Im very good... In fact, I think Im really not as good as the others. Perhaps the worst.

Your directors insist that youre a very talented actor whos achieved his success without much effort. They feel youd be miles ahead if you were even a little more serious.
Now thats not true. I think Im quite serious. But seriousness isnt necessarily visible in your outward appearance. Just because I have a casual attitude towards life doesnt mean Im not serious. How do they know whats going on in my head?

So youre very serious and dedicated, is it?
I think so. Also, Ive been lucky in getting the right films. Lets just say God is my co-pilot.

You were instrumental in having Chandrachur Singh reinstated into Friends when you refused to
take on his role. You also tried hard to convince the producers into taking him back. What
prompted the gesture?
I just didnt think it was right to step into a film that another actor had already shot for, an I told Ramesh Taurani (the producer) that. I guess he felt the same way at some point, and decided to keep Chandrachur in the film. Im really happy that it happened this way.

Then why, do people complain that youre so unapproachable and difficult?
Because Im not very outgoing with people I dont know well enough. Im fine with my friends and family-theyre allowed to take liberties with me-because Ive been with them for many years, but I dont let others come too close.

Do you have many friends among the actor lot?
Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) is a friend. So is Shah Rukh (Khan) and Mohnish Behl.

Does it bother you when the gossip media links you to a new woman month after month?
Not it doesnt. Either I react and give them the importance that they want, or just importance that they want, or just ignore them, which I thin is a better option.

But does it get embarrassing while working with a co-star youve been linked with?
Not at all. Why should it?

But is absolutely everything written about you completely untrue?
Most to it is.

Tell me, how did it feel being arrested publicly in the Jodhpur buck-hunting case?
You know, it felt like shit-but not because I was arrested, but because my dad was dragged into it. I though it was terribly unfair to target him. Hes built that house in Panvel with so much love, because the locality reminds him of the place in Indore where he grew up...At this point in his life when hes retired and is living a peaceful life, it was not right to attack him just to be able to get at me.

What about yourself? Surely you felt equally disturbed on the treatment that was meted out to
you?
At some point Id switched off mentally. So even though I was physically present behind bars in Jodhpur for about 17 days, in my mind I was relaxing at home. I didnt let it get to me because I knew what the real objective was. And then, I thought to myself that If I would break down on being jailed for some days, it must have been so much more difficult for Sanju. After all, he was arrested for two years, and that ruined his career, his image, everything...But it made him stronger when he returned. Its hardships like these which make you a hero-an off-screen hero, not just a hero on the screen.

Okay Salman, I remember the last time we met you told me you were keen on getting married soon. Are you still as eager?
Oh yes, but marriage is not something that you can plan. Believe me, if I had to get married to myself, I would have long since been married. But marriage involves two people, remember?

So have you found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with?
Dont expect me to take any names, pal.

Fair enough, but have you found her yet?
I have.

And youre happily in love right now, are you?
Yes I am, actually.

And marriage is on the agenda, right?
You bet. Its definitely going to happen soon.

And kids will follow?
Immediately...I think Ill make a great father.

Will you make a good husband too?
The best!

So what does it feel like to be in love?
(Blushes)...Youre been in love, na? Im sure you know the feeling...

But I bet its different with you...
I think it feels good to be in a relationship where you dont expect from your partner but yet receive so much love.

Have you been in love several times?
Thrice, I think.

Have you been in love with a woman who hasnt reciprocated the affection?
Yes, Im sure thats happened too.

Okay tell me Salman, which film of yours would you proudly show your children?
I guess it would be Maine Pyaar Kiya.

And which film of yours would you never want them to see?
Probably Biwi Ho To Aisi, but Id show them the film anyway. Only Id make that the second film of mine theyd see, because if they see this one first, they might not want to watch any more.

Hey, werent you an enthusiastic photography freak?
I was, but they took away my camera...Its lying in Jodhpur with my mother things. I really hope I can get it back someday.

Whom did you enjoy shooting?
I shot my niece Alize, my dad, I shot Atul (brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri), my friend Kishan (Kumar), my brother Arbaaz. I also shot Hrithik (Roshan), Lolo (Karisma Kapoor). I also shot Somy (Ali) a lot...

Before I forget, what was all this about stripping down to your underwear at a stage-show in London?
That is such bullshit. I was in my black denim shorts. I come from a cultured home, I would never do something like that...In fact, a lot of people kept asking my dad about it, and he was so sure I could never do it. He even declared that if Id really done something like that, he would never let me step into his house again. But I faxed him some photographs from London, and he was relieved that I hadnt let him down.

But you did beat up Subhash Ghai at a party, didnt you?
Now thats something that shouldnt have happened. I guess all I can say is that I really shouldnt have reacted that way, no matter what the provocation was.

All thats old hat, right? Now youre feeling on top of the world..?
(Sarcastically)...Very funny, ha, ha ha.

'If you have a problem, get lost'

(Source : www.rediff.com)

Salman Khan's among the hottest hunks in town today. His Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya has done well and his Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai is doing average business. And all that success at the drop of a shirt. It works only if have a body worth the showing, though.

Like many of his counterparts, Salman too has his path to success pitted with flops. Most of us, of course would rather prefer to remember his good looks and charm in films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Baaghi, Sanam Bewafa, Saajan and Hum Aapke Hai Koun.

Meeting him is very easy, but pinning him down for an interview is like nailing down quicksilver. Especially you give him an uncomfortable question to answer, you see him squirming his way out with a great deal of talk that has little of substance.

We met him at Kamalistan Studios where he is shooting for Bandhan. He pretends he doesn't give a damn for journos but if you've known him long you can see through that" It's usually a way of putting you off your guard when he pulls a fast one on you.

The last time we met him, he offered us shilajit, assuring us it was more potent than Viagra. This time he knows we are better prepared. He smiles. "So how has it been? I won't trouble you this time," he smiles impishly, making you wonder if he's having you on again.

Salman, son of the famous Salim Khan, started off well enough with the Rajshris Biwi Ho To Aisi and then Maine Pyar Kiya. Just when people were beginning to note his good run, things went awry. But Salman wouldn't say die.

And as criticism mounted that he was all looks and brawn, he got a hit that smashed all box office records -- Hum Aapke Hai Koun. And then, in Rakesh Roshan's hitKaran Arjun, Salman finally took off his shirt....

It was during the making of Veergati that he actually began building his body. And the effort showed in Karan Arjun.

"I realised that a good body was an asset and hence I cast my shirt off for the film. When you have a good body, why shouldn't you show it off, man? Walking around bare-chested is not new for me. Even in my house, I never wear a shirt. You will always find me in just shorts.

"If I am driving or walking down the road, and if I feel hot, I just take off my shirt and carry on. I do not care what people say. If you have a problem, get lost."

One of the ways Khan keeps himself in trim is by training with his friend, Ali, the world kickboxing champion in the lightweight category "whenever he comes to India." And exertions over, he indulges himself in some photography, which he is quite good at. "I do indulge in taking pictures often," he says, adding reflectively and a little mysteriously, "Let us see how things work out for me..."

What about claims that he is arrogant? How does he counter those, we ask him. And he bristles.

"Call me arrogant or whatever you like. I am like this. I try and put forward myself very clearly. I am not scared of speaking the truth. I have been labelled arrogant by a section of the film press, especially those magazines which want me to run around them and accept whatever they write about me. If I call you names, if I write rubbish about your family, will you like it? It can spoil your relationships with your colleagues and family and also land you in a soup. Just because somebody wants to sell his magazine, does it mean I should allow them to make use of me?" He takes a deep breath.

"If I am so bad then why aren't people scared of me? Why do children run and come to me for autographs? Why don't parents hesitate to introduce me to their children? Do I behave like a real-life villain? The truth is that only those people are scared of me, who, when I was going through a low phase, wrote a lot of rubbish about me. I was rude to people because of their own mistakes. Most of them were journalists who indulged in yellow journalism, and I refused to give them interviews.

"Since I stopped entertaining them, they wrote a load of bullshit about me. Why should I take all that shit? I am a man who has his principles and will adhere to it."

Didn't he have a hard time living up the standards of his famous family?

"I was always considered the black sheep of the family. But then, the situation is not the same anymore. I have done a lot of good work. I have given so many hits and the number of flops that I have given is much less than anyone else in the industry today. I am not here today to prove a point. I have already proved my worth by giving hits like Hum Aapke Hain Koun and Karan Arjun, apart from Judwaa and other films."

And the devastating low that came after his initial victories? How did he cope with that?

"I was neither disillusioned nor disheartened when my career took a turn for the worse. In fact, I accepted my fate as part of the job. Highs and lows are part of the profession... I just indulged myself and had a good time," he says.

"Sitting and regretting things is silly and idiotic. The past is gone. We have to concentrate on the present and get a better future. But that does not mean that you slog your ass out. You have to work hard, but then you have to enjoy what you are doing, so that you do not ruminate and cry over it if it does not work."

But then why did he sign on so many films indiscriminately?

"I assume that I must have signed a lot of wrong films. I was in a desperate hurry to make money as all youngsters are when they land in a goldmine. But then I had an ambition to build myself a house. That would give me a lot of security and I would have something to call my own. But I guess that it was a foolish thing to do. I am not regretting it, mind you. But rather than signing all those movies, if I had done a few star shows or waited for good offers to come by, I would not have suffered."

And if the films failed, Khan blames the makers.

"Most of these films had terrific scripts. Having seen my father write and being a bit of a writer myself, I knew that these films had the potential of being good hits, but then the makers sadly lacked direction. The directors could never convert the script into a good film. To do so, one needs a specific degree of aptitude, commitment and money. I don't like to name anyone since I could hurt many people, but I must sadly admit that many of the producers who were making these films lacked what was needed.

"I have gone on record about this before, but then we only had idiots messing up the scripts and producers more interested in saving money. You cannot get anything but flops in such cases."

He is doing very well in romantic roles -- Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Janam Samjha Karo and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam being some -- but he doesn't plan to get typecast. "I am doing very different roles in some forthcoming films too, films like Bandhan here and Dus (which has since been shelved)."

He's already looking forward to marriage to Somy Ali. But the date hasn't been fixed, he says.

"Soon, very soon! I will tell you all when I do it."

Khan has, meanwhile, also diverted his energies into another profession. His upcoming chain of restaurants, Indian Talkies, is to open its doors in the next few months. The dishes there are to be named after all the films he has worked in (maybe we can scratch the flops), and he promises clients that he will make personal appearances to whet their appetite for glamour too.

And then he lets his imagination really go. "Soon, New York, Hong Kong and Australia will have an opportunity to experience the exotic food of India," he says. And here he's discussing the Bollywood variety. "The concept is doing well. We promoted it a lot during my shows abroad," he smiles.

But he offers nothing on his plans to turn director, making one wonder if he plans to turn full-time businessman. No reply again. A subtle suggestion may be that it's time to leave.

We do.

Salman Khan is known for his style, and is passionate about food.

Salman Khan, despite his years and stardom, is an eternal bachelor boy.

The ambience of his entire room in the newly done up house in Galaxy Apartments, Bandra, typifies the lifestyle of a single man for whom comfort comes above style!

Salman is known for his style sense and food is his passion. We explore both.

Style Icon :
Simplicity, according to bodybuilder Khan, is the answer to cool.

Lace shirts, bandhini prints, cycling shorts, tank tops, skin-fitting vests, tight-Ts, jewellery, cargo pants, three-quarter trousers, cut-offs - in fact anything that would accentuate his display of bulges, of the right kind of course.

It's the bulges that got everyone confused. Indeed, no one thought "Bodybuilder" Khan would get his gender so badly mixed up. Like, in his newest outing at the box office, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, Sallu wore really teeny weeny lungis - crafted in bright blues, reds and pinks with yellow flowers, all combined with chunky silver jewellery.

We had heard about male accessories and all that jazz, but really chunky jewellery? Even women do not wear that anymore!

Despite these deviations, Salman remains a fashion icon for many. Clearly, this is one man who loves dressing up - and makes no bones about it. What he loves even more, though, is dressing down.

Like he did in London recently, stripping down at a star-studded stage show for an NRI audience. Predictably, Le Khan got the audience shook up about Indian sensibilities, not that that shook him up any.

Style Roots :

Khan's early flirtation with fashion came with his years as a model. Known as former Miss India Sangeeta Bijlani's boyfriend, the macho stud was roped in to pose for a suiting ad opposite the buxom lovely.

Funnily enough, Khan's early images in Bollywood were spun by Anna Singh, the woman who's clothed Bollywood's admitted best dresser, Jackie Shroff, for the last 16 years. Indeed, it was Singh who gave Khan the item of clothing he's perhaps best remembered for: the Friend cap for the film that shot him to stardom, Maine Pyar Kiya.

The cap, of course, went on to become a rage all over India, with everyone from school children in sleepy village towns, to college kids in posh urban colleges buying and wearing one. And the word Friend went on to become a Hinglish euphemism for love and all things mushy.

Clothes Horse :

That film also marked the first time anyone can remember Khan taking his shirt off on screen, when, at the end of a long hard day at the quarry where he works, his character storms into the house in search of his love.

Only, in that scene, although his muscles were up on display, rough and ready, he was wearing a singlet underneath his shirt.

Indeed, it took until five years later, and the film Baaghi opposite Southern bombshell Naghma, when Khan took his shirt off in a desperate bid to boost box office performance. The cash registers, however, remained quiet.

It took the Barjatyas to make him hit the big time again, variously, in white and green, with Hum Aapke Hain Koun, the protracted wedding video during all of which Khan only took his shirt off once.

There followed a glimpse of his undies, (white, Joe Boxer, peeking out above the waistband of his jeans), earrings, more bare-bodied braggadocio and so on - until, with Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, he decided to go traditional and cover up at the same time. Ergo, the lungis and the chi-chi plastic glasses.

And what drives him so? Perhaps, like one filmi hack put it, Khan chooses muscled magnificence to make up for his height: lower than that of most of his heroines.

Die-hard fans, of course, will swear by his beautifully-tailored black, beige or grey jackets, or the casual white-shirt-and-blue-jeans look, sort of what he wore in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Or maybe bright bandhni shirts (another Jackie Shroff inspiration), tailored close to his body, but not really body-hugging.

Off-Camera :

On one of those lazy days, what you will see him most often in "is my white shirts and blue jeans. That will never be 'out' for me," he insists. According to him a pair of denims with a crisp, white shirt or a T is sexy. Simply classic, it's a formula that's worked for everyone from Tina Turner to Bill Clinton.

As far as his denims are concerned, the cuts vary. His tight fitting 501s are something that "I cannot do without". At the same time, he finds himself comfortable in loose, low-waist denims. He also thinks its "cool" to show off that underwear band above his loose, low waist jeans.

And keeping true to his ishtyle - when it come to shorts, it is cycling shorts for him. "I simply love them," he laughs. When he's not taking off his shirt on screen, he pours himself into see-through shirts of the Bangkok variety and second-skin Ts.

What Salman is most happy in, though, are casuals. He feels restricted in formal wear, not surprising given that all those layers, well, hide his assets. He may have danced his way in Hum Aapke Hain Kaun and umpteen films in churidar kurtas, but off screen, he hates wearing them. "Ganjis (vests), rubber chappals and torn jeans will do it for me anytime," he shrugs.

And the one he claims to be extremely possessive are his spectacles and his shades.

The Foodie :

Born into a family, for whom food is a passion, Salman naturally loves to eat. The regular cuisine in the Khan household is typical Muslim food with biryani, raita and other delicacies.

But Salman - being a foodie - likes trying out different kinds of food. Although rumoured to be a good cook, we have only his friends to vouch for his culinary abilities, since they are the only ones who have tasted the meals he churns out.

Spicy Italian food is supposed to be his favourite cuisine. He prefers home-cooked food and does not like to eat outside too much. But when he does, he prefers simple joints with good food rather than fancy restaurants that serve lousy cuisine.

It isn't a surprising sight anymore to see him at Haji Ali Juice centre after midnight, chomping on his favourite pav bhaji or pizza, and gulping down juice or Sitaphal ice cream.

After the ritual of eating, he almost always goes around to the sleeping beggar children and fills their palms with fifty-rupee notes so that they are surprised in the mornings!

He also frequents Noorani's at Haji Ali for their famous biryani. Salman religiously follows the rule of the house where one meal is at home, and all the family members sit at the table and eat together.

It's an intimate family gathering for them and except when out of town, Salman never misses a meal with his parents. Even during late shooting hours, whenever he is in Bombay, Salman almost always comes home for dinner.

It's during these late hours that he has his favourite food, what he calls `Mixture', where he uses all the leftovers from various food items and mixes them before eating. He claims it tastes brilliant and also vouches for its nutritional value.

(Source : www.glamourindia.com)

" I know what I am!"
Sensational Salman

(Source : www.3to6.com)

He wanted to do a straightforward interview. Didn't want any comments or judgmental statements. "Lets do a Q and A session," he laughed. Hard hitting? "No Problem!" So this is how it went

Were you happy to be rated a sex symbol?

"I really don't have a problem about being rated as anything. I know what I am and the people close to me understand me. That's all that counts." "What is a sex symbol? It is how a certain section of society sees you, right? So they view me as sexy, huh? That is of no consequence. What is important here is being a symbol, someone who's reached a level that has people emulating him or her. That is a responsibility and I am happy that I've made that much of a contribution that people would like to copy me."

Your life with this country's most beautiful woman?

"I'm proud of her. I'm proud to be associated with her. My name linked with hers? It's a privilege. What more can anyone ask for a man?"

Why do you strip in every film?

(laughs) "Because my producer, director, distributor and audience, all want to have a good look at what they're banking on. And I've worked very hard to get into the shape you're seeing. I don't have a problem to show an arm, a leg and chest. It's fine by me. So why should it be a point of debate? I also act when my shirt is off, you know. Why not try and notice that as well!" .

You really did try and woo David Dhawan to take you in a number of his projects, didn't you?

"Look, I loved the kind of films that David makes. They're out and out hysterical fantasies that have no pretensions or psuedo fundas in them. They are excellent and complete entertainers. I was dying to work with him and I made sure he got to know it. But now I want to make things clear. No amount of wining or dining, as you put it, would've convinced David to take me if he didn't feel I suited the role! He was sure I could deliver if he gave me the opportunity toand that's how it began"

People are forever talking about the charitable work you keep doing

"That's an area I don't really want to talk about, suffice to say that I enjoy doing what I do and the quieter it is the better. Hey (he laughs), let at least one aspect of my life be underplayed and private. Since the rest of my private life is so public, at least there is something that keeps me feeling sane"

What's the film you really enjoyed doing?


"At the risk of sounding clichéd, I've enjoyed working in all my films, but truthfully speaking, there is nothing to equal that feeling of watching yourself, with an audience, in your first film! It's magical. 'Maine Pyar Kiya' was magical. Not knowing whether the public was going to accept or reject you. Shaky Shaky Shakytill people burst out of the cinema hall applauding. My God, that was fabulous!"


Any other films?


"Then doing scenes in 'Khamoshi', doing a film like 'Andaz Apna Apna' and realizing you can be quite comic. Later on, working in 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'. They have all been wonderful experiences."

What about your latest 'Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye' and 'Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'?

"I was convinced that 'Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye' would be a well-accepted film. Obviously, I was wrong. So now in the case of 'Chori Chori' I have not harboured any expectations. Let us see how it fares. That is one thing I've come to learn in this line. You cannot pre-empt your movie being a hit. You can only hope it will do well. You cannot dictate your audience reaction. So it's best to work to the best of your ability and hope"

Do you lead your life in the same manner? No expectations

"I'd love to, but the expectations just creep in unconsciously. Automatically when people have expectations of you, you have the same for them."

Don't you want you marry and have a family?

"Sure, but don't you think there's a lot of time left for that stuff?"

Do you think so?

"Sure. I'm still a teenager man (laughs)!"