Salman's 'Badi Ammi' threw him into the well in childhood:Wanted to buy SRK's 'Mannat'; suffered 'suicide disease'- story of Bollywood's 'Bhaijaan'

Main dil mein aata hoon, samajh mein nahi. Salman Khan’s most famous dialogue from the film ‘Kick’ perhaps also describes him the best. A superstar who has survived controversies, setbacks and criticism, yet continues to maintain an extraordinary fan following. Whether it is standing up for students or extending help to Assam flood victims recently, Salman continues to make headlines both on and off screen. You may love him, hate him, criticise him or celebrate him, but after more than three decades, one thing is sure: Salman Khan cannot be ignored. Salman Khan remains one of Bollywood’s most enduring and magnetic stars. Fans call him Bhaijaan. His career spans decades of blockbusters, television dominance, and a larger-than-life persona, even as personal and legal challenges have marked his path. Let's get into the flashback story of Salman in our weekly segment “Flashback Friday.” Salman's childhood was spent in Indore Salman was born in Indore and spent school holidays in the city in the 1980s, cycling and riding motorcycles on Indore roads, where he first developed his love for driving. He enjoyed plucking raw mangoes and jamuns. He studied at Scindia School in Gwalior and St. Stanislaus High School in Mumbai. Salman's aunt threw him into the well in childhood A memorable anecdote from the book Being Salman (shared by a close relative) was when young Salman used to fear swimming. One day his “badi ammi” (aunt) tied a rope around him and pushed him into the neighbourhood well; that’s how he learned to swim. Was a big fan of actress Rekha, used to follow her by cycle Salman was fond of Rekha since childhood. Rekha once recalled on Bigg Boss Season 8 that when she went for morning walks, a 6–8-year-old Salman would cycle behind her. He went home and told his family he would marry “that girl” when he grew up. On the show, Salman smiled and joked that this might be the reason why he never married; Rekha quipped that she never married for the same reason. The two later worked together in Biwi Ho To Aisi, which was Salman's debut film. They shared a special performance in the song “Rafta Rafta” from Yamla Pagla Deewana: Phir Se (2018). His entry in films was not that of a typical star kid Director J.K. Bihari of his first film Biwi Ho To Aisi recalled spotting a slim, fair young man carrying a photo file while crossing the road near his office on 15th Road in Khar. The filmmaker felt instantly that this was the boy he needed for a small role (Rekha’s brother-in-law / Farooq Sheikh’s younger brother). He cast Salman after looking at his photos, no audition. Salman was stunned. Got rejected for thin body At the time, Salman had been rejected by many offices for his thin body. He was told he lacked “hero” qualities. He never mentioned that he was Salim Khan’s son and approached work like any struggling newcomer. When Bihari later learned of the family connection, his respect grew. Salim Khan simply told Bihari to make a good film with the new boy and did not interfere. Used to secretly go to the gym He was skinny as a boy but developed an interest in bodybuilding in Indore after watching family members exercise. In Mumbai, he trained at the gym in Sea Rock Hotel by the sea. There he befriended Mohanish Behl. He often went to the gym secretly; if someone spotted him, he would pay them ₹100 not to tell the family. He typically works out 5–6 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour. Maine Pyar Kiya made him an overnight star Biwi Ho To Aisi was noticed for Salman’s small part. Then came Rajshri’s Maine Pyar Kiya, which made him an overnight star. During the casting process for this film, he kept going to Rajshri for six months. Before being cast, he kept recommending other actors for the role Even while being rejected himself, he would recommend friends for trials. When Sooraj Barjatya’s team came to Bihari’s set intending to turn him down, Salman’s humility impressed them, and they finalised him. Bihari tore up Salman’s three-film contract so he could take Rajshri's offer. Earned ₹25,000 for the 1st film, dreamt of earning ₹10 lakh His first fee for Biwi Ho To Aisi was about ₹25,000; Maine Pyar Kiya started around ₹31,000 and rose to ₹75,000. Before films, he earned ₹75 as a background dancer at a Taj Hotel show, then ₹750 for a Campa Cola advertisement, later around ₹1,500. He once shared that he dreamt of earning ₹10 lakh, which he achieved with his second film. Salman became one of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars After a few films, Salman became one of the eminent stars of Bollywood with hits including Tere Naam, Wanted, Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Dabangg 2 and the Dabangg franchise. He hosted Bigg Boss for multiple seasons and Dus Ka Dum. His only notable failure in a stretch of successes was Veer. Notably, Salman has interest in script writing; he wrote scripts for films 'Baaghi',' Veer' and ‘Chandramukhi.’ He is among the industry’s highest-paid actors, reportedly over ₹100 crore per film plus profit shares. His reportedly estimated net worth is around ₹2,900 crore. Salman Khan once wanted to buy Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat Salman Khan once revealed that he had considered buying the sea-facing bungalow that is now known as Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic home, Mannat. However, his father, screenwriter Salim Khan, reportedly asked him what he would do with such a huge house. Salman later recalled that he realised he had no real need for such a massive property and dropped the idea. The bungalow eventually became synonymous with Shah Rukh Khan and is now one of Mumbai’s most celebrity landmarks. His marriage has always remained the talking point Salman's marriage has always been the talking point, wherever he has gone. His personal life has often made as many headlines as his films. Over the years, he has been linked with several high-profile actresses, but despite the speculation and public interest, he has remained one of Bollywood's most eligible bachelors. He once shared on the sets of Bigg Boss that he was in 5 serious relationships, which his fans assumed were with- His controversies and challenges One of the longest-running cases involving him was the blackbuck poaching case of 1998, which dates back to the shooting of Hum Saath-Saath Hain in Rajasthan. He was accused of hunting two blackbucks in Kankani village. Jailed for 5 years in 2018 Salman was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison in 2018, though he has maintained his innocence. The case has continued to remain part of public discourse, including recently when the Delhi High Court ordered the removal of a teaser that referenced the case. Other major controversies- Despite these controversies, Salman has repeatedly bounced back professionally, delivering major blockbusters and maintaining one of the industry's most loyal fan bases. Salman Khan’s humanitarian efforts beyond cinema Actor Salman Khan has launched a multi-level relief operation through his charitable foundation, Being Human, to provide essential supplies in flood-hit areas in Assam. Also, recently he supported students during the CJP protest in Delhi. Three decades, countless blockbusters, controversies and comebacks later, Salman Khan continues to rule millions of hearts.