“Hum Sirf Angrezon Ka Khoon Peetey Hai,” (We only drink blood of the British) roars Mithun, when offered Angrezi sharaab (English liquor), and goes on to chop off Jackie Shroff’s arm. And we rub our hands in glee, all set to watch another over-the-top entertainer by the notorious Anil Sharma, the guy behind laugh riots, including Gadar and Hero: The Love Story of a Spy.
The film made news about creative differences between Salman Khan and Anil Sharma. After watching it, we have a few theories on where they didn’t see eye to eye.
1. Period setting: When Salman said the historical was set in the 1880s, Anil Sharma decided that the film needed to have the Eighties look. In fact, it even looks like it was shot in the 1980s. The wardrobe department appropriately came up with orange jeans, leather pants, gowns for the Princess etc. Upset with the director’s negligence, Salman decided to boycott shirts for most of the film. This also helped him remain under the skin of the character he was playing — himself. Which also explains what Sohail is doing in the film… fooling around with his bade bhaiyya.
2. The Katrina factor: Salman wanted a fat girl to play princess because “there was no concept of Size Zero those days.” Given that he was playing himself in the film, he wanted the girlfriend too. Since Katrina couldn’t afford to put on that much weight, Anil Sharma found a replacement. Reviewers were quick to spot the similarities and crowned her Fatrina instantly. But if you grew up in this part of the world, you would know that Zarine is more Ramba than Katrina. Salman went on record to say that Zarine looked nothing like Katrina and Anil Sharma responded by making Zarine bite Salman’s wrist in the film.
3. Dead or Alive: Salman wanted to die and do a Braveheart. He even got the locks and sword to pose for the poster but Anil Sharma wanted him alive because fans would expect a Happy Ending. So they settled for a compromise. That they will do both. Again, Salman didn’t want to throw Mithun into the well (maybe because he sort of felt he was playing himself with brother and girlfriend-look-alike for company) but Anil Sharma thought it would make such a cool shot. So yes, they shot both and used both. To justify, there are two Salman Khans in the movie. Yay!
4. Pindari Power: Salman saw the freedom-loving Pindaris as folks who were tough as nails. Anil Sharma’s interpretation: Make the father drench the newborn in pouring rain. The Pindari father also, from time to time, must beat up his son and throw him into the well at regular intervals. In fact, Anil Sharma’s research shows us that killing and throwing the other into the well was the favourite pastime of the Pindaris. So what if they are fighting a war in the desert, the well’s just the place to throw the dead body. And you thought that the opening lines of the Pindaris used to drinking blood was just rhetoric! Unaware of Anil Sharma’s portrayal, Salman, with righteous indignation, scowls at the British teacher when he refers to the Pindaris as barbarians.
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