Sonali Kulkarni reveals why she agreed to play Salman Khan’s mother in Ali Abbas Zafar’s 2019 film Bharat, despite initially wanting to reject the role.
Age gap casting in cinema has always sparked debate, and one striking example came in Ali Abbas Zafar’s 2019 blockbuster Bharat. The film featured acclaimed actor Sonali Kulkarni as Salman Khan’s mother, even though Salman is nine years older than her in real life. The casting raised eyebrows, but Sonali’s journey to accepting the role is as interesting as the film itself.
In a recent chat with Galatta India, Sonali shared that despite her final decision to do the film, she wasn’t initially eager to accept the offer. When the team first approached her, she felt the character was a mismatch for her. The actress admitted, “When Bharat was offered to me, I thought the role didn’t suit me. So, I gave director Ali and casting director Mukesh Chhabra a long list of potential actors who would look nice in the role, asking, ‘Why are you offering it to me?’”
Sonali has built her career on fearless choices, never shying away from unconventional roles. She reminded audiences of her bold beginnings, saying, “I don’t have any complex about how I would play a character. I am super open about portraying any role. In my first film, Cheluvi (1992), I played a girl who can become a flowering tree. In Daayraa (1996), I played a boy with a moustache.”
She further explained that playing a mother shouldn’t intimidate actors: “People get scared easily when they hear that they have to play a mother’s role. But one has to keep in mind that the said mother would also be someone’s friend, sister-in-law, or wife. People remember me from Mission Kashmir (2000) as Sanjay Dutt’s wife, not simply as Hrithik Roshan’s surrogate mother.”
Her hesitation with Bharat was more about believability than the label of motherhood. “So, I am not usually scared. But when it came to Bharat, I was hesitant because one should at least look the part,” she revealed. What changed her mind was the story itself. Much of her role was set in flashbacks, showing Salman’s character as a child, which made the casting more logical.
Another factor for her was the chance to finally work with Salman Khan. “Plus, I had never worked with Salman Khan before. I met him once during the music launch of one of my films; that’s it. So, I felt this was the best way to connect with him,” she said.
The experience turned out to be memorable. Sonali spoke warmly about sharing the set with Katrina Kaif and noted, “I saw her rehearse so sincerely for her dance numbers. It was so lovely working with them.”
Alongside Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Sonali Kulkarni, Bharat also starred Disha Patani, Sunil Grover, and Jackie Shroff in key roles.
The film follows the life journey of a man who promises to keep his family together after India’s partition, tracing his struggles and triumphs across decades while reflecting the changing face of the nation itself.
