'I had tears in my eyes': Salman Khan opens up on what happened on the sets of Maine Pyar Kiya

Salman Khan has been a part of Indian cinema for over three decades, but even he remembers the exact moment when he truly felt like an actor. In an interview with Hello! Indo-Arabia, Salman looked back at the emotional turning point that came during the shoot of Maine Pyar Kiya. He was just 18 at the time and filming the now-iconic song Kabootar Ja Ja Ja when it suddenly hit him — this was his role, his moment, and his future.

“I had tears in my eyes,” he shared, admitting that until then, he’d always imagined stars like Jackie Shroff or Anil Kapoor in such roles. That was the day he finally believed he belonged.

Interestingly, Maine Pyar Kiya almost had a different leading man. Actor Deepak Tijori recently revealed in an interview with Bollywood Bubble that he was one of the two final contenders for the role of Prem. While he was initially told he got the part, the final decision came down to one unexpected factor — charm. Director Sooraj Barjatya later explained to Deepak that the women in his family were instantly drawn to Salman’s boyish appeal and on-screen innocence. While Deepak was praised for his performance, he agreed with the reasoning and gracefully stepped aside.

Now, decades later, Salman is gearing up for a very different kind of role — one rooted in real-life heroism. His upcoming film, Battle of Galwan, will depict the intense and deadly 2020 clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. The film, set at a staggering altitude of over 15,000 feet, aims to showcase the sheer grit and bravery of Indian soldiers who fought without guns — only using rudimentary weapons like sticks and stones. The project promises to be a gritty tribute to modern warfare, highlighting the raw courage and sacrifice that defined one of the most significant border confrontations in recent Indian history.