Salman Khan recalls father Salim Khan questioning his acting potential in early Bollywood days: 'At most, you’ll get love story roles'

Salman Khan is set to make his first-ever podcast appearance on his nephew Arhaan Khan’s show, Dumb Biryani. In a newly released promo of the episode, the Sikandar actor is seen sharing valuable life lessons with his nephew while reflecting on his own early struggles in the industry.

In the candid conversation, Salman revealed how his father, legendary screenwriter Salim Khan, questioned his ability to portray certain roles when he was just starting out in Bollywood. “When I got into the film industry, my father asked, ‘Can you do action?’ I said, ‘Yes, I can.’ Then he asked, ‘Can you convincingly beat up ten people on screen?’ I said, ‘No.’”

Salman went on to recall how Salim Khan continued testing his potential. “‘Can you play a lawyer?’ I said, ‘No.’ ‘Can you play a policeman?’ ‘No.’ ‘Can you portray a gangster?’ Again, I said, ‘No.’ Then he told me, ‘At most, you’ll get love story roles.’”

The Dabangg star shared how these words stayed with him, pushing him to work harder and prove his worth in the industry.

During the discussion, Salman turned the focus to Arhaan’s future in films, making him aware of the competition he will face.




“So, for you right now, who are the people you will be entering the film industry with?” he asked. “There will be Tiger Shroff, Shahid Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra… Do you see yourself better than them right now?”

Arhaan’s honest response was, “Absolutely not.”

Salman then encouraged his nephew to observe and learn from these established actors, emphasizing that success comes from hard work, discipline, and continuous self-improvement.



He further advised Arhaan to bridge the gap between being a fan and a hero, working towards coming as close as possible to his ultimate goal.