Salman Khan’s Wanted, a remake of the Telugu blockbuster Pokiri, proved to be a defining reset for his career. Directed by Prabhu Deva, the film featured Salman as Radhe, an undercover cop posing as a gangster,
a character that brought together swagger, sharp dialogue and raw action. Released in 2009, Wanted connected instantly with mass audiences, especially in single-screen theatres, thanks to its punchy storytelling and whistle-worthy moments. While faithful to the core of Pokiri, the Hindi adaptation gave Salman a larger-than-life persona that audiences embraced fully.
Boney Kapoor, in a recent chat with Rediff, opened up on how he got Salman Khan on board for the film that he produced.
“I happened to see Puri Jagannadh’s 2006 Telugu blockbuster, Pokiri. I thought Salman would be apt for the character of Radhe aka Rajveer Shekhavat. I wanted him to see the film and had arranged two preview shows, but because of his hectic schedule, Salman couldn’t make it,” recalled Boney. He said that he kept prodding Salman Khan to watch the original. Boney added, “I was worried that the Tamil remake would release, and if it was as big a hit as the original, another Bollywood actor or producer would evince an interest in the Hindi remake rights and like with Ghajini, I would lose out on Pokiri too.”
But things turned around for the better once Salman watched the film. “I kept urging Salman to see it, and one day, past midnight, he finally turned up at a Mumbai preview theatre to see Pokiri. My elation was short-lived when I discovered that following a mix-up, instead of the Dolby Digital, they had sent across a DTS print. Nervously, I waited for Salman’s reaction to Pokiri. After watching it, he walked past me without a word. I followed anxiously, and before sitting in his car, he just signalled thumbs up.”
The film starred Ayesha Takia opposite Salman but Boney revealed that the actor has a different actress in mind for the role. “Salman had suggested Katrina Kaif’s name for the role of the heroine in Wanted, the Hindi remake of Pokiri. But since the character is initially ambivalent about her feelings for Radhe, I reasoned that it would be better if we cast an actress who had never been paired with him before. We toyed with several names, including Genelia D’Souza, before settling for Ayesha Takia.”
The film, released in 2008, went on to become a big hit.
