Salman Khan: ‘I’m Surviving On Mediocre Talent And Luck’, Shah Rukh Khan And Aamir Know Their Craft'

• Htcity
• Updated:April 12, 2019 01:31 IST

• Authors: HT City Editorial Team
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Actor Salman Khan has said that his contemporaries Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan are both legends, and they will bounce back from recent professional setbacks. But he is more worried about himself, because he has been surviving on ‘good luck and mediocre talent’.

In an interview to DNA, the actor spoke about his ‘rivalry’ with Aamir and Shah Rukh. Together, they’re the Three Khans of Bollywood. But in 2018, all three delivered big budget misfires. Aamir and Shah Rukh starred in Thugs of Hindostan and Zero, while Salman drove the Race franchise off track. The films were produced on a combined budget of more than Rs 600 crore, but could manage a collective Rs 800 crore worldwide.

Salman said, “It is not as if Aamir or Shah Rukh are choosing bad or worse films. There are times when the movies I’ve chosen, to the best of my knowledge, haven’t worked. And then one film works and you’re back. SRK is a legend, as is Aamir. A bad movie here or there may happen, but they will always come back.”

Salman said that it is he who should be worried, because both Aamir and Shah Rukh are known for their craft, although he’s ‘heard people saying they’re not so sure about me.’

“I’m surviving on mediocre talent and luck. Actually, I don’t know what I’m surviving on, but I’m surviving,” he said, adding that he is aware of his ups and downs, but is grateful for the rock solid fanbase he has built over the years. Salman pointed out that Tubelight, the only recent film of his that is considered to be a bonafide flop, made Rs 110 crore domestically. Repeating a theory he has offered before, the actor said, “We thought that Tubelight (same combination of Kabir Khan and me) will be a beautiful film, after our much-appreciated superhit, Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). But for an Eid release, the public wanted to see something happy. In Tubelight, they all cried. They were like, ‘What the hell! You’ve ruined Eid!’. They went into depression.”

Also read: Salman Khan has a theory as to why Tubelight flopped, says he opposed releasing it on Eid

He said that the film’s reputation has grown post the theatrical release. “Today, when the film comes on digital and satellite, people love it and wonder why it didn’t work,” he said.

Salman has two releases lined up for 2019. Eid will see the release of Bharat, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and starring Katrina Kaif, and December’s Dabangg 3, which reunites him with Sonakshi Sinha.