Bollywood filmmaker Nikkhil Advani, known for helming movies like Kal Ho Naa Ho, D-Day, Batla House, Vedaa, has always had an interesting journey in Bollywood. While some of his films became cult classics over time, others struggled at the box office. One such film was Salaam-e-Ishq (2007), a multi-starrer featuring Hindi film industry’s superstars like Salman Khan, Vidya Balan, Govinda, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Juhi Chawla, and Akshaye Khanna. Despite its star-studded cast, the film failed commercially. After which Salman Khan was disappointed with Nikkhil Advani? and if that was the reason they never collaborated again – except for the 2015 film Hero, which Salman produced and even lent his voice to for the song Main Hoon Hero Tera.
During a recent interview promo shared by Lehren Retro, the director was asked if Salman was upset over Salaam-e-Ishq’s failure and whether that impacted their professional relationship. Addressing the speculation, Nikkhil Advani clarified that they still share a good friendship despite not working together in recent years.
Nikkhil Advani Opens Up About His Equation with Salman Khan
“We’re still very good friends. He calls me, asks me to come over for a drink, invites me to the farm… I go!” Nikkhil said. When the interviewer pointed out that their interactions only seem to extend to casual meetings, Nikkhil promptly responded, “Mujhe film nahi banani hai! (I don’t want to make a film!).” His candid reaction left room for interpretation, raising curiosity about whether he genuinely has no interest in collaborating with Salman Khan again.
While it’s unclear if Nikkhil Advani and Salman Khan will reunite for a film, fans will have to wait for the full interview release to understand his complete take on the matter.
Watch the exclusive interview promo with the director Nikkhil Advani here below:
Meanwhile, in a recent conversation with Mashable India, Nikkhil Advani recalled an anecdote from the sets of Salaam-E-Ishq, revealing that Bollywood’s Bhaijaan refused to shoot early in the morning. As a result, the team had to stay awake all night. He shared, “We kept Salman awake for the whole night because he said that I can’t come at 5 in the morning. ‘Either sit with me and I will go to sleep straight at 10 AM’! So, we stayed awake, took him, shot, finished shooting and then he went to sleep. For me, it has always been about finishing the day quickly.”
For now, Nikkhil is busy juggling multiple projects. He is producing Satyameva Jayate 3 and working on Delhi Safari 2, an upcoming Hindi-language animated musical comedy. On the other hand, Salman Khan is gearing up for Sikandar, where he will star alongside Rashmika Mandanna, Kajal Aggarwal, and Sharman Joshi. He was last seen in Tiger 3.
, a multi-starrer featuring Hindi film industry's superstars like Salman Khan, Vidya Balan, Govinda, Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Juhi Chawla, and Akshaye Khanna. Despite its star-studded cast, the film failed commercially. After which Salman Khan was disappointed with Nikkhil Advani? and if that was the reason they never collaborated again - except for the 2015 film Hero, which Salman produced and even lent his voice to for the song Main Hoon Hero Tera...){kind=link}