'Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan were fighting but never badmouthed each other even if someone tried to instigate,' says actor Vishal Malhotra: 'This is maturity'

Actor Vishal Malhotra known for movies like ‘Ishq Vishq’ and the iconic television show ‘Hip Hip Hurray’ amidst many other projects has worked with some of the best names in the industry. In a recent interview, he shared memories from his interaction with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan who he worked with in ‘Happy New Year’ and ‘Salaam-e-Ishq’ respectively. He recalled how at that point, both the actors were not on good terms with each other, yet, they never allowed anyone to badmouth about each other. Reflecting on his first meeting with Shah Rukh Khan, Vishal took a trip down memory lane to the post-production phase of the 2008 film ‘Kismat Konnection’, where SRK lent his voice for the film’s narration. Vishal was at the Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy studio, dubbing his lines, when he heard that the superstar would also be stopping by. “There’s a studio run by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy where we were dubbing,” Vishal recalled in a chat with Hindi Rush. “Shah Rukh sir came in to do his part. We were all sitting around, and it took him just 30 seconds to make me feel like I had known him for years. Not just that, he made me feel special, like I was someone important. He made me feel like I was the superstar, not him.” Vishal also spoke about an intense moment at Riteish Deshmukh’s birthday bash, an event that saw both Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan in attendance during a time when the two were reportedly not on speaking terms. “There was definitely tension in the air because everyone knew what was going on between them,” Vishal admitted. “But one thing I know for a fact, neither Shah Rukh sir nor Salman sir has ever spoken negatively about each other in public. And even if someone tried to instigate them by badmouthing the other, the first thing they’d do was tell that person to shut up and leave. That, to me, is maturity, and I found that really admirable. I saw this happen first-hand. There were people in both camps trying to stir things up, but it didn’t affect them. That’s the reason they’re so secure in their positions.” Switching gears to another cherished memory, Vishal described the buzz on the set of Salaam-E-Ishq at Mehboob Studios when Salman Khan was expected to arrive. The atmosphere was electric. “The shoot was happening at Mehboob Studios. Suddenly, there was this buzz - ‘Salman Bhai is coming!’ Everyone was on alert, waiting. An hour passed with everyone saying he’s about to arrive. And then he finally walks in, wearing a black ganji, black shorts, and looking amazing. It’s that natural charm he’s been blessed with,” Vishal said, adding with a smile, “You look at Salim sir or Arbaaz, they’re all handsome.” He also shared a candid moment that captured Salman’s grounded nature. “While director Nikkhil Advani was explaining the shot to me, someone came up to Salman to fix his hair and puff his cheeks. He pushed them away, saying ‘no need for that.’ Then a stylist handed him a black jacket, which he casually threw over the ganji and shorts. It was unusual, weird to see him like that. But then he gave the shot. That shot went on to be the first promo of what was one of the biggest films of the year.”