Photo credit: www.news18.com
Last Updated: March 26, 2025, 21:03 IST
Despite the box office competition, Prithviraj hopes for success with Sikandar.
Two major films are set to premiere in theaters soon. Following Prithviraj Sukumaran and Mohanlal’s release of L2: Empuraan, Salman Khan’s Sikandar will debut just three days later. In light of this upcoming overlap, Prithviraj has expressed that he sees no rivalry between the two projects and expressed his desire for Sikandar to achieve blockbuster status, acknowledging Salman as “one of the biggest stars of the country.”
In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, Salman shared his support for L2: Empuraan, stating, “I have great admiration for Mohanlal as an actor. With Prithviraj directing, I’m confident it’s going to be a fantastic film.” Additionally, the Bollywood icon extended his well-wishes to the upcoming film Jaat, featuring Sunny Deol, scheduled for release on April 10, expressing hope for its success as well.
It’s noteworthy that this isn’t the first occasion a South Indian actor has praised Salman. Suriya and various other stars have previously expressed their admiration for him. When asked about this admiration, Salman conveyed his warmth towards his peers, some of whom have been part of the film industry since his early career. “It’s very kind of them,” he remarked, referencing his camaraderie with prominent actors like Ram Charan and Jr NTR, who began acting shortly after he did.
Salman also reminisced about his long-standing friendships with notable figures in the South Indian film industry, such as Venkatesh Daggubati, his co-star in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, and Chiranjeevi, with whom he collaborated in the Telugu film Godfather. “I share a deep friendship with Venky, having known him for about 30-35 years. My relationship with Chiru garu began during a Thums Up commercial we worked on together,” Salman shared.
Collaborating for the first time with director AR Murugadoss on Sikandar, Salman reflected on his past collaborations with South Indian actors. “I was among the first Hindi film actors of my era to work with South Indian directors, having collaborated with several over the years,” he noted, highlighting the cross-cultural connections within the industry.
Discussing the differences between Bollywood and South Indian cinema, Salman commented, “The technical aspects of the South film industry are quite advanced, and their storytelling is emotionally rich. They often create original narratives rather than adapting existing stories. However, not every South Indian film is a gem. Similarly, in Bollywood, it’s the successful films that are remembered; there are many releases each week that don’t leave a significant mark. The key is universal: good films will always find their audience.”
Source
www.news18.com