Sonali Kulkarni on Playing Salman Khan Mother in Bharat Why She Initially Felt the Role Didn’t Suit Her
Actress Sonali Kulkarni has opened up about her experience of playing Salman Khan’s mother in the 2019 film Bharat. The actress revealed that she initially felt the role did not suit her and even questioned why the filmmakers had approached her for the character.
Sonali played the role of Janki Devi, the mother of Salman Khan’s character Bharat. Her casting attracted attention because of the age difference between the two actors in real life. Sonali admitted that she initially had doubts about whether audiences would accept her as Salman Khan’s mother.
Sonali Initially Thought the Role Was Not Right for Her
When the role was offered to Sonali Kulkarni, she reportedly did not immediately say yes. She felt that the character might not be suitable for her and even suggested other actresses who, in her opinion, could play the role.
Sonali explained that she was not uncomfortable with playing a mother. Instead, her concern was whether she would look convincing alongside Salman Khan as his mother.
The actress said she questioned the casting team about their decision and wanted to understand why they had specifically chosen her for the character.
The Flashback Story Helped Convince Her
The film’s storyline eventually helped Sonali understand why the filmmakers wanted her for the role.
Bharat tells the story of Salman Khan’s character across several decades. The movie contains important flashback sequences showing Bharat during his childhood and younger years.
Sonali realised that her character’s relationship with young Bharat was an important part of the story. This made the role more understandable to her, and she eventually agreed to be part of the film.
She decided to trust director Ali Abbas Zafar and the casting team and accepted the unusual challenge.
Sonali’s Experience Working With Salman Khan
Another reason Sonali was interested in doing Bharat was the opportunity to work with Salman Khan.
Although she had met Salman before, she had never worked with him on a film. She described her experience on the sets positively and appreciated the superstar’s behaviour toward the people around him.
The actress also recalled a light-hearted moment involving Salman’s bicycle, which added to her memories of working on the film.
Most of Her Scenes Were Connected to Young Bharat
Sonali also explained that a significant part of her character’s emotional journey was connected to the younger version of Bharat.
Because the film moves between different periods of Bharat’s life, her role was not simply about appearing as the mother of an older Salman Khan. The childhood portions gave the character a stronger narrative purpose.
This helped Sonali overcome the initial hesitation she had about the unusual casting.
Sonali Kulkarni Praises Katrina Kaif
Sonali also spoke warmly about Katrina Kaif, who played Kumud Raina in Bharat.
She praised Katrina’s dedication and professionalism and admired her dancing skills. Sonali recalled watching Katrina rehearse and said she was impressed by the actress’s hard work.
According to Sonali, Katrina brought a strong energy to the film and was extremely committed to her performances.
She Has No Regrets About Doing Bharat
Despite initially believing that the role might not suit her, Sonali ultimately had a positive experience with Bharat.
The actress has always been known for taking on different kinds of characters, and she viewed playing Salman Khan’s mother as another opportunity to step outside conventional expectations.
For Sonali, the role was ultimately about the character and the story rather than simply the real-life age difference between the actors.
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Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat featured Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles, along with Sunil Grover, Jackie Shroff, Disha Patani, Tabu and other prominent actors. The film followed Bharat’s life journey across different stages and periods, combining family drama, romance and historical events.
