Sohail: The not-so 'bratty' Khan

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">He has his fingers in several pies, and quite visibly, Salim Khan''s youngest son — Sohail Khan — is enjoying his multiple roles as producer, director and an actor, all at once.<br /><br />Just when one thought that Sohail was trying to establish himself as a producer-director with <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya </span>and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hello Brother</span>, his appearance as a solo hero in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Maine Dil Tujko Diya </span>last year came as a surprise.Isn''t he sending confusing signals to the industry?<br /><br />"Honestly, I was not supposed to star in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Maine Dil Tujko Diya</span>. I even approached <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">bhai </span>(Salman) for the lead role, but since it was the character of a college boy he felt he wouldn''t suit the character. That''s when he suggested that I do the role. So it just happened. There was no great design behind it," he tells us.<br /><br />However, the khan progeny doesn''t not deny that his heart is really in production. "I''m doing several films like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Krishna Cottage, Raakh, Team </span>and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Lakeer </span>as an actor, but there''s a certain thrill in production. The whole process of searching for new talent and balancing out the economics is all very interesting," he says.<br /><br />So what keeps him going so strong? "I belong to a family of story-tellers and this is the only thing I know best. Even my flop films have been a learning experience for me. When <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hello Brother </span>didn''t do well, many people told me that it was a film ahead of it''s times. Which means I was not in tune with the times. I want to make issue based films that have a message and at the same time, are commercially viable," he explains.<br /><br />Veer the conversation to Salman, and how the actor revived himself last year with Tere Naam, and the younger brother says, "I guess one of the reasons why Tere Naam did so well, was because people identified with Salman''s state of mind and the trials he went through. Last year was a very difficult time for him, and he was quite depressed. But things are improving for him. He''s having a blast at the moment."<br /><br />Sohail himself is happily married with wife Seema and son Nirvaan. A week-end holiday is mandatory, is what he affirms.<br /><br />sandhya.iyer@timesgroup.com</div> </div>