Kabir Khan decodes ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’s popularity ahead of its fifth anniversary

“Bajrangi Bhaijaan” is Kabir Khan’s most loved film and it is also that one movie he has watched maximum number of times thanks to his daughter who loves to catch it during its multiple TV runs.

Children love mess of unity that film tries to convey in guise of an India-Pakistan drama, which is what Khan said he set out to do by casting Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as a simple-minded Hanuman devotee, Pawan, who crosses path with a mute girl, Munni, from Pakistan after she strays accidently into India.

Kabir said strength of film was that it was greatly enjoyed by children.

Rest of story of much-loved blockbuster, which completes five years on Friday, revolves around Pawan's, also kwn as Bajrangi, (Salman) attempts to unite child, played by Harshali Malhotra, with her parents across border.

re is a fairytale element to story, which is a cross-border drama about neighbouring countries on surface, but also a metaphor for artificial boundaries that people put up around m, Khan said.

"When I was writing film, it was t about cross-border. It was about borders that we put within our country. first half is about his (Salman) prejudices about a different religion; it is about how we as human beings put artificial boundaries and segregate people on artificial lines,” Kabir told PTI in an interview.

"It is all unnatural wher it is (on basis of) religion or caste or nationality. se are man-me boundaries that we have put up,” he ded.

director, who grew up miring composite culture of country and still believes it to be an intrinsic part of India, said “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” was his response to growing religious discrimination.

film was lauded for its sensitive portrayal of India-Pakistan relations, while retaining its sharp political commentary.

filmmaker said he believes common people from both countries—India and Pakistan— should t let politicians or politics hamper love and peace between m.

"Unfortunately, we get swayed by politics of two countries. Politicians will always be hostile and y will play this game for thousands and thousands of years.

"But politics should t come into life of a common man. Why should we carry hostility and burden of politicians and unnecessarily start hating people wher it is of different communities or nationalities. That is what basically film was talking about," he ded.

As a filmmaker, Kabir said "Bajrangi.." was a reflection of what he h observed in society around him.

"re is s polarisation that is happening in our society, unnecessary division of people on lines of religion. It is definitely t what India stands for. We have to celebrate what India stands for. One of strengths of India is its composite culture. It is inherent, you cant take it away," he said.

"'Bajrangi...' is a reaction to fact that polarisation has happened more and more and I felt I needed to dress that in my film," he ded.

As a politically-aware filmmaker, Kabir said he cant make a film without a social or political context.

"All of us have some politics in us and we look at world in a certain way and we react to it (accordingly). Politics is t about which party to vote for, that is a very narrow way of looking at it. Politics is about way we look and react to world," Jamia Millia Islamia and Delhi University alumnus said.

Kabir furr said all his films have a certain tone -- eir fairytale, fantasy, real or logical. With "Bajrangi...", he wanted to create "fairytale-ish" quality about a man of good heart.

"Bajrangi Bhaijaan" opens with shots of sw-cl mountains. For film’s climax, Khan created India-Pakistan border in Sonmarg, Jammu and Kashmir with around 7,000 people. Kabir said as it was a Salman-starrer, end needed a grand setting.

"This is fairytale part of film. It is where you want people from both countries to come toger. In reality, that’s t possible. But in film, I was trying to show goodness in people so Pakistani guard steps back, seeing huge number of common people and allows m to break fence for Pawan to enter India.

Talking about casting of film, Kabir said Salman as Pawan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Chand Nawab were his initial and only choices.

When writer K V Vijendra Pras, who wrote story, brought idea to Kabir for developing screenplay, he wanted Salman as “he has this magical connection with children and if I can capture that with Munni, it will fly and I also kw that Salman feels strongly about politics of film”.

Im credit: Salman Khan Films