Salim Khan

This article is about the actor and screenwriter. For the town, see Saleem Khan.

Salim Khan सलीम खान
Salim Khan in Aug 2011
Born	(1935-11-24) 24 November 1935 Indore, Bhopal State, Central India Agency, India
Residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Ethnicity	Pathan
Occupation	Actor, Scriptwriter
Years active	1959–1996 (Retired), 2013
Spouse(s)	Sushila Charak (m.1964–present; (4 children)) Helen (m.1981–present; (1 child))
Children	Salman Khan Arbaaz Khan Sohail Khan Alvira Khan Agnihotri Aprita Khan
Relatives	Thakur Baldev Singh Charak (Father-in-law) Malaika Arora Khan (Daughter-in-law) Atul Agnihotri (Son-in-law)

Salim Khan (Hindi: सलीम खान born 24 November 1935) is a veteran Indian actor and screenwriter. In Hindi cinema, Khan is best known for being one half of the prolific screenwriting duo of Salim-Javed. He is the father of Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Sohail Khan and Arbaaz Khan. He has two wives, Sushila Charak (Salma Khan) and actress Helen.

Personal life

Khan with wife Helen

From left to right – Arbaaz Khan Salman Khan Sohail Khan

Khan was born in Indore in the Central Provinces and Berar (modern day Madhya Pradesh) during British rule. His ancestors are of the Alakozai Pashtun tribe who immigrated from Afghanistan to Madhya Pradesh over 150 years ago. His father was a police officer, while his mother had died when he was still young. In 1965, he married Sushila Charak who later converted to Islam and adopted the name 'Salma Khan'. Salma's father Baldev Singh Charak was from Jammu. Salim and Salma have four children together: Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan and their daughter Alvira Khan Agnihotri . In 1981, Salim married the actress Helen. They adopted a daughter named Arpita, a daughter of a homeless woman who died on a Mumbai footpath.

Career

Khan debuted after director K. Amarnath saw him at a wedding and was impressed by his good looks. He asked him to come to Mumbai, where he hired him as an actor for Rs. 400 a month. Khan acted in various movies, in small parts, for seven years. He was unable to capture the public's interest, and, as a result, his career had stalled. Khan appeared in such films as Teesri Manzil (1966), Sarhaadi Lootera (1966) and Diwaana (1967), in small supporting roles in total 14 films till 1970 and in 1 more in Wafadar(1977). But he did not achieve success till 1971.

1971–1982

Main article: Salim-Javed

Salim met Javed Akhthar for first time during the making of the film Sarhadi Lootera. Salim was a small-time actor, and Sarhadi Lootera was one of the last films he acted in before he turned his attention to writing. Javed was a clapper boy for the film and was later made the dialogue writer as director S.M. Sagar was unable to find a dialogue writer. While working in this film their friendship began. Salim Khan used to assist writer/director Abrar Alvi at first and Javed Akhtar used to assist Kaifi Azmi. Abrar Alvi and Kaifi Azmi were neighbours, from there on Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar became friends. The duo hit it off well and formed a script-writing team that came to be known as Salim-Javed. Salim used to form stories and plots whereas Javed used to help Salim with the dialogues for those films. They used to brainstorm and come to conclusions regarding the final draft of the film.

Initially in the 1970s there was no concept of having same people write both screenplay, story and dialogue and also giving them credits in title. Rajesh Khanna is credited with giving Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar their first chance to become screenplay writers by offering them work in film Haathi Mere Saathi. Javed Akhtar accepted in an interview that "One day, he went to Salimsaab and said that Mr. Devar had given him a huge signing amount with which he could complete the payment for his bungalow Aashirwad. But the film was a remake and the script of the original was far from being satisfactory. He told us that if we could set right the script, he would make sure we got both money and credit." Salim-Javed were hired by G. P. Sippy's, Sippy Films as resident screenwriters and produced the screenplays for successful films like Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay and Don. Their first big success was the script for Andaz, followed by Adhikar (1971), Haathi Mere Saathi andSeeta Aur Geeta (1972). They also had hits in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Zanjeer (1973), Haath Ki Safai (1974), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Premada Kaanike, Chacha Bhatija (1977), Don (1978), Trishul (1978), Manushulu Chesina Dongalu, Yugandhar, Dostana (1980), Kranti (1981), Zamana (1985) and Mr. India (1987). They have worked together in 24 films including 2 Telugu films – Manushulu Chesina Dongalu, Yugandhar and one Kannada film – Premada Kaanike. Of the 24 films they wrote 20 were hits. The scripts they wrote but which were not successful at box office include Aakhri Dao (1975), Immaan Dharam (1977), Kaala Patthar (1979),Shaan (1980). Though they split in 1982, due to ego issues, some of the scripts they wrote were made into films later like Zamana and Mr. India. Salim-Javed, many a time described as "the most successful scriptwriters of all-time", are also noted to be the first scriptwriters in Indian cinema to achieve star status.

1983–1996

Salim Khan after the split was not much active in films from 1996. He wrote scripts for 10 films only from 1983 to 1996, after his split with Javed Akhthar, like Naam, Kabzaa, Toofan, Jurm, Akayla, Patthar Ke Phool, Mast Kalandar, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Majhdhaar, Dil Tera Diwana(1996). Of these scripts, Toofan, Akayla, Majhdaar, Aa Gale Lag Jaa and Dil Tera Deewana failed at the box office. Salman Khan collaborated with his father in Patthar Ke Phool and Majhdaar. He also lent his hand in scripting Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya and Auzaar.

Awards

• Lifetime Achievement Honour at Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award in January 2014.
• Was due to receive a Padma Shri in 2014 but rejected it saying he deserved a Padma Bhushan at least.

External links

• Salim Khan at the Internet Movie Database
• Salim-Javed
• An interview with Salim Khan