Salman is humble and inspiring, says Sana Khan

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She expressed her delight at visiting the Khaleej Times office.
She expressed her delight at visiting the Khaleej Times office.

Dubai - The perky Bigg Boss star reveals her excitement over her film career and why she's star-struck by her Jai Ho co-star Salman Khan as she drops into Khaleej Times

By Enid Parker

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Published: Tue 9 May 2017, 12:12 PM

Last updated: Wed 5 Jul 2023, 4:21 PM

"I hate to come for short trips to Dubai," revealed Sana Khan, the perky Silambattam, Bigg Boss, Jai Ho and Wajah Tum Ho star who was in the city recently and stopped by Khaleej Times for a chat. "No matter how much you come, it's always less. And I've been to every single place in Dubai so I tell my friends that when I come - find a new place for me to go to! I'm not a party person, so I get bored if I go to clubs. I'm more of a 'chill out' kind of girl."

She expressed her delight at visiting the Khaleej Times office. "It's an honour to be here. I've heard so much about this newspaper, right from my very first visit to Dubai. I'm so happy that today I am sitting here and talking with you people. It feels great."


Bollywood has a huge following here in the UAE and Sana recalled her last promotional trip to the region for the Salman Khan blockbuster Jai Ho. "That was three years ago! We also wanted to come and promote Wajah Tum Ho (her last film) but unfortunately because of the demonetisation policy and everything happening in India at the time, and of course we had a shift of date so we couldn't plan anything, but obviously we have a very big audience for Bollywood in the UAE as we have so many Indians, Pakistanis - it's a melting pot of cultures. And it's so nice that it's not just for the biggest stars, it's also with new films and people who are just coming up - that fans show the same enthusiasm. I keep seeing my friends' Snapchats over here - there were so many weddings happening in Dubai lately and they would enjoy dancing to my songs and send me the videos - so you feel good in a different country when there's so much of love."

When asked about her current trip to Dubai, Sana hinted at a new project. "This time I've come here for some work to be very honest, so let's see. we're cracking something, something nice so once it's officially done I'll be happy to announce it. Also, I have a lot of friends and family over here so I want any excuse to come to Dubai, I get to meet everyone and roam around and see lovely sports cars which generally you don't get to see in any other city. And everything flashy that you see over here - it's just beautiful. I enjoy the place, the people, the food. This place has a lot of warmth - whenever you come people are very nice. I come here for work, I come here for pleasure, I come here for everything!"


On working in the South versus Bollywood cinema

I think the only difference is language. People are the same, emotions are the same. It's just a little difficult because you don't understand the language so well and it really takes a lot of energy from you to understand the scene and what your co-stars are saying, to also reciprocate in the right way. I just felt when I'm doing South Indian films I'm always preoccupied as a person and an actor. But with Bollywood I get a platform where I can add on my things, make my own pauses. With South I could not do all this - if I took a pause I'd be blank and be like 'fill in the blank please' (laughs). So it was really difficult but I enjoyed doing that. My first film was Silambattam and my film's hero Simbu is very, very famous. And he has a huge fan following here and I still remember when I used to go to malls and people would see me and they still say 'oh Silambattam' and it feels so good that you come to a place like Dubai and there are people coming and talking about your regional film. For an actor there is no language barrier. We love acting, we love to emote in every possible language and connect to every possible person.

Bigg Boss was one of Sana's 'best' life experiences

I'm a huge Bigg Boss fan and when they called me and said that they wanted me, I really got nervous. And I thought to myself, I was so excited, why am I getting nervous now, I want to be part of it. But you know the morning that I was leaving my house and I realised that oh my God I have to leave my phone, I have to leave everything behind. I've never done TV, I don't know TV people, and I'm going to live with them, I don't know for how long. Even when I was in house I was lost for a very long time. I'm sure you see the show and wonder how actors fight with each other - I used to think in the same way. And I wondered what can I say in this? But I think Bigg Boss was one of my best life experiences.

And after that I did another reality show called Fear Factor, and it was definitely not my cup of tea. at all! And I again survived the show. I reached the finale. Rohit Shetty was the host of the show and he said, yeh ladki kuch na kuch kar ke finale pahunch gayee (this girl did something or the other and reached the finale). I don't know how! I became the favourite of the South African team - they are like this girl is always scared of all the stunts but eventually she does it.

Wajah Tum Ho and more

Wajah Tum Ho was my first proper lead film. So I'm definitely expecting to do more. I have a lot more on my plate - and there's one thing I'm desperately waiting for to get very official so that I can come back with something new, something different from the popular perception that people have of me being a glamorous, hot chick because of my last film. In Wajah Tum Ho there were multiple characters, Sharman was playing the cop - it's a thriller - and I was playing the lawyer, and Gurmeet was obviously my love interest but I think overall it's the whole team that makes a film. In a thriller I feel when you guess who is the killer within fifteen minutes of the film starting that's the worst thing to happen. And I was so happy that people just couldn't guess who was the killer here. When they got to know it was me it was quite a shocker because it was very unexpected. I enjoyed doing the film - it was a great experience.

On living up to expectations after Jai Ho

I think that's always there but for an actor I feel that's the worst thing because such things can literally put you into a depression and can actually keep you jobless. I think you must always choose the right project and you shouldn't be over-choosy because sometimes you lose good work and I always feel work gets you work. So I think if there's anything nice, I am open to it. I have been doing multiple things - I started with an ad film, I went to the South and did twelve films, I starred in Bigg Boss, I did Jai Ho with Salman, went back to TV for Fear Factor, again back to films withWajah Tum Ho so it has been a great journey overall.

Sana 'star-struck' by Salman

I think Salman is more popular than Burj Khalifa or Burj Al Arab in Dubai! Whatever I say it's going to be less because we know what a wonderful human being he is. He's humble and very inspiring for newcomers - he probably spots their talent and gives them work. Everyone has that hope you know that when you are with Salman, I hope he likes me and he gives me work. But everyone is not that lucky and I think I had a little luck on my side because I always say it's been ten years of Bigg Boss and I'm the only participant who has worked with him. I feel very happy that I got Jai Ho when I was in the house and people were like 'ise to ghar baithe bathe film bhi mil gayi hai'. So people used to keep teasing me that way and I was very happy that he offered me something that was not me.

The perception of me from Bigg Boss was someone who was cute and bubbly. So suddenly when he told me he wanted me to play a villain - he wanted a girl who is sweet and cute and innocent but a spoilt brat. And I was like, this sounds interesting. To be honest I enjoy negative roles more than positive ones. As an actor it gives you so much more to do. And there is a power somewhere when you play a villain. And everyone used to say 'look at that cute villain coming, is she going to scare us?' ( laughs). So I think that was super fun and I really thank him from the bottom of my heart for giving me that opportunity to be in the same frame as him. I think he's wonderful, we're in touch even now - he's very spontaneous on text with suggestions and stuff if you have a question. He maintains the relationship.

And that's what we all want. I sometimes feel stardom is there today, but we might not be doing films all our lives - I'm talking about me, not Salman, but eventually what matters is the kind of person you are, the vibe you give me, how you make me feel. I feel a superstar is not a superstar by the kind of films he does; he's a superstar by the way he behaves with normal people. Because that's when you fall in love with a person. I might like a lot of people but when I interact with them, then I change my choices. Of course we're all star-struck, he is someone the whole world loves not just India or Dubai. I'm really very happy to be someone associated with him.

The Bahubali effect

I wish I was part of Bahubali, irrespective of anything people think! I think every actor be it supporting cast or main leads - everyone wants to do a film which is a huge success, no one wants to do an average film. The better work you do the better opportunities you get. More people see you and obviously you want your film to reach everywhere. You give a year or more of your time to a film, and obviously expect a lot from it. I wish I was part of the Bahubali cast, I hope they consider me for the third part (laughs).

Upcoming projects

Right now I am considering a web series because I think it gives you a very different platform - you can connect with a lot of people who maybe don't go to theatres. I'm talking about young people - like from grade 7,8,9 - who are so tech savvy. I think the digital world has become so big, whatever you do becomes viral. I have a few scripts right now for web series because I want to do something different.

I am also doing a music video with T Series, which is a dance number. As I mentioned earlier, there's also a film, a border story, and I am waiting for the official announcement to be made.

Message for Khaleej Times

Firstly I want to thank Suhail Galadari for giving me this opportunity to come here and to be a part of his Khaleej Timesmemories and this is definitely going to be one of my best memories! This newspaper does excellent work, it connects everyone from everywhere and gives the best here to the Arab countries, especially all the news that you want to know about your favourite actors, and of course related to a lot more things than just films and entertainment. I am really happy to be a part of this and I hope you grow and grow and become even bigger than what you are today. Thank you so much. enid@khaleejtimes.com


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