“Salman Khan won’t listen to you, he once declared ‘I am Salim sahab’s son’,” says Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge director Pankaj Parashar

Pankaj Parashar shares insights into working with Salman Khan on Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge, highlighting the actor’s generosity, persistence, and unforgettable gestures.

Filmmaker Pankaj Parashar, renowned for directing Sridevi’s iconic ChaalBaaz, recently reminisced about his experience working with Salman Khan on their 2002 action-drama Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge. By the time Salman approached Pankaj for the project, the director already had several films under his belt. Salman, who was also producing the film, was eager to collaborate and wanted Pankaj to helm the project.

In a candid chat with Siddharth Kannan, Pankaj revealed that while he was thrilled by Salman’s enthusiasm, he was initially unimpressed by the script, which Salman had written himself. Salman, however, was persistent and convinced Pankaj to sit through a second narration. Even then, Pankaj remained unconvinced until writer Rumi Jaffery persuaded him to take the opportunity, promising that the script could be refined. Reluctantly, Pankaj agreed and soon found himself overwhelmed by Salman’s generosity.

“Salman offered me three times the amount I usually charged for a film,” Pankaj recalled. “He knew I would have done it for much less, but that’s just how generous he is.” Salman’s magnanimity didn’t stop there—he gifted luxurious Rolex watches to the cast and crew during their shoot in Jaipur. Pankaj shared a humorous anecdote, saying, “One day, I told him to stop drinking and show up on set at 7 AM. After that, he started coming earlier than me. But there was one day he arrived late, and when I pointed out the time, he threw my watch! Later, he gave me a Rolex, saying, ‘I threw your watch that day; you deserve a Rolex.’”

Pankaj described Salman as headstrong but open to reason

Reflecting on Salman’s personality, Pankaj described him as headstrong but open to reason. “Salman once wrote a scene and insisted he was the captain of the ship. You need to convince him at least three times before he agrees. He would say, ‘I’m Salim sahab’s son, I know this is right.’ But after some persistence, he would listen,” Pankaj said, laughing.

Through these anecdotes, Pankaj painted a picture of Salman as a larger-than-life personality, balancing his commanding presence with unparalleled generosity and a willingness to learn.