'Guzaarish': Salman apologises... almost

For Salman Khan, it's tantamount to an apology.

The popular actor who setting off a media storm when he attacked Sanjay Leela Bhansali's box-office disaster 'Guzaarish' rather bitchily last week by saying even dogs wouldn't watch the film, has now explained his words (For the background on this story, click here: 'Guzaarish' war: Salman just jealous?).

What did he say?

"I was at a charity event when this girl who couldn't hear or speak came up to me and requested that I make a film on people like her. Honestly, I've tried to be a part of such films - 'Khamoshi', 'Phir Milenge...' but they just don't work. So I told her, Sanjay Bhansali makes movies like these," Khan told the Times of India.

"If you want charity, go to Sanjay Leela Bhansali. She said she didn't want charity. I simply replied, 'You've just saved Sanjay Leela Bhansali some money in that case!' I hear Bhansali is angry with me now, so be it!"

Further explanations

Khan is apparently also upset that his comments have agitated viewers so much, and he reportedly told Anil Kapoor and Akshaye Khanna at a function for his ‘Bigg Boss’ TV show that when he made the first remarks, he was referring to Bhansali's older films, such as 'Khamoshi', not 'Guzaarish’.

Why would he do that?

The beefy actor clearly has an eye on working with the award-winning director in the future -- who, after all, gave him one of his biggest hits: “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam” opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

News emerged barely days ago that Bhansali wanted to revive "Bajirao Mastani", a 2003 epic project he had been forced to shelve after Khan and Rai broke up acrimoniously -- and that he still had Khan in mind to play the 17th-century Western Indian ruler, Peshwa Bajirao, with Kareena Kapoor cast as the ruler's wife, Mastani, a woman skilled in combat training who wielded weapons with ease. This was a role once earmarked for Rai.

So Khan clearly wants the role?

Yes, and just to ensure things are forgiven, Khan, who has reportedly long wanted to be the centre of a period drama, drove the point home with a pointed comment: "I thought we'd do four to five films together in our lifetime, now I think it'll be only two - Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam!" For Khan, Bollywood's original bad boy, that's contrite behaviour.

We're waiting on word from Bhansali.

 

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