Siddharth Anand on 20 years of Salaam Namaste, “I truly feel this is a film that has aged well” 20 : Bollywood News

Siddharth Anand’s Salaam Namaste completes 20 years today. The film was a successful romantic drama starring Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta and Arshad Warsi. The filmmaker looked back at the movie in an interview with us.

Siddharth Anand on 20 years of Salaam Namaste, “I truly feel this is a film that has aged well”How do you look back on 20 years of Salaam Namaste?
I’m a big critic of my own films. So, with that in mind, I truly feel Salaam Namaste is a film that’s aged well. And this one is a tough genre to keep up with time.

Yes, this one has aged well
The credit for this should go to the entire team. Adi (producer Aditya Chopra) for believing in a young kid in me, who was a reluctant director. He saw a director in me before I did. Gave me freedom and the budget.

Both Saif and Preity remain your buddies to this day?
Deep inside, I think Saif is still the same person. Fun and naughty. Saif, being the big star he was, showed faith and came on board. Same for Preity. And the whole crew from Sunil Patel, Sharmista, Mamta, Surily, Rishi, Ahmed Khan… everyone added to the film. I only channelized all their talent.

Has Salaam Namaste been your most emotionally satisfying film so far?
I think emotionally Fighter has been my most sensitive and strongest. So, I think I’ve been quite consistent where the emotional quotient is concerned. And that comes from the person I am.

Anything you would like to change in Salaam Namaste?
The climax. I would not change the tone to slapstick. And stay with the situational ‘Friends’ type of humour and emotion. The rest of the film has so much spontaneity and aesthetic that is tough to replicate.

Salaam Namaste belongs to your gentler pre-Pathaan phase
The magic just happened. I’m still very gentle. There’s a lot of sensitivity in Pathaan. It wouldn’t have worked the way it did if it didn’t carry the emotion so well. Whether it’s Pathaan and Nandini’s track or even Jim’s back story. One feels it’s the action that carries Pathaan. But it’s actually what you feel emotionally that engages you through the film too.

Also Read: 20th anniversary EXCLUSIVE: “Salaam Namaste got NO cuts from CBFC; they were smiling at the end of the film”, reveals Siddharth Anand; shares the INSIDE story on why the Saif Ali Khan-Preity Zinta starrer was NOT shot in San Francisco

More Pages: Salaam Namaste Box Office Collection , Salaam Namaste Movie Review

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