Salman Khan, who is all set to set screens ablaze with Dabangg, is a hero for many. But for the star, the greatest Veer in his life is his father, ace scriptwriter Salim Khan.
“I remember I had failed miserably in class VII,” recalls Salman. “I was at a school in Indore and was afraid that I would get a good thrashing from my dad. But instead, he consoled me by saying that the failure would make no difference.”

“You just forget about it and think ahead. You should learn to come back by working hard. Success will be all yours,” this was Salim Khan’s sage advice to the impressionable youngster.
“When I look back, I realise it changed my whole opinion about my dad,” says Salman.

A fearless dad
In fact, Salman cannot stop talking about his dad. “I respect my father’s thinking as he is fearless and speaks firmly, but in a respectful manner,” says the actor. “His decisions are always righteous. He is my Veer.”
Dwelling further on his father’s influence, Salman says courage was one quality that he imbibed from Salim Khan. “Even as children, he told us not to fear anything and to be honest,” says the actor. “If you are true to yourself, you shall never be defeated.”
“We as children were his best friends,” Salman adds. “He would eat, drink and enjoy life with us but we knew our limits. Even today we do not cross our limits. I feel a father-son relationship should be friendly, but respectful.”

Catty about Kats
So we pop the question, “Will you prove to be a good father too?” “Let me get married first,” says Salman, with a smile.
That naturally leads us on to the ticklish subject of Katrina Kaif. Is he just good friends with her now as the glossies say? “Has Katrina told you all that?” Salman shoots back. “Or for that matter have I?”
Then he laughs. “You guys have portrayed Salman differently. You got me married and divorced umpteen times. Actually, even before two different people come closer, you guys make it so obvious. Maybe there is something in our hearts or maybe not.”
But according to Salman, everyone in the family including his father constantly asks him when he will get married. “I shall marry at the right time,” says Salman. “Who said I will not marry?”

Band of brothers
Nobody, we assure, and change the subject to his relationship with his siblings. “Family support is very important,” he says. “I share a very good relationship with both my brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. Arpita is my cute little sister and she cares a lot about all of us.
“Yeah... at times relationships go sour,” he adds as an afterthought. “At one time we may be friendly with a person but at another time, the relationship may change. That is life.”

Being a Good Samaritan
The legendary troublemaker seems to have mellowed down a lot and feels that people need to show more humaneness to fellow beings. “How many of us will stop if we see an accident on the road?” he asks. “Nobody, since people feel that they will get involved. But what if it happens to you?”
The actor says he will surely play the Good Samaritan if he comes across a road mishap.”I would love to help,” he says. “Everyone has a human side to them.”
Perhaps the star has learnt the right lessons from the American Bakery accident case in which he was involved. But he is terse when asked about his experience of being put in jail. “It was no experience at all,” he quips. “I was the same as I am at home or anywhere. I have done nothing wrong and time will prove it.”
If Salman does have a ‘humane’ side, then how come he is always in the news for the wrong reasons? “I have never been entangled in anything wrong,” he says. “It is the media who portrayed things wrongly.”

Live and let live
The conversation veers to philosophical matters . Which is more important for Salman the human being — love or duty? “Depends,” he says. “Love you can get, but duty neglected will bring failure in one’s life. So I would prefer doing my duty first.”
The predictions of trade pundits that Dabangg will be a hit seem to have put Salman in an eminently charitable mood. He now has good things to say about his fellow stars too.
“I always want the films of my peers to do well,” he says. “All of us are here to survive. I only detest bitching and I feel bitching should not be supported at any cost.”