The casting of Sonali Kulkarni as Salman Khan’s mother in Bharat was one of the more unusual choices in the 2019 film. The reason was simple: Sonali Kulkarni is actually nine years younger than Salman Khan in real life. Yet she played Janki Devi, the mother of Salman’s character, in Ali Abbas Zafar’s period drama.
Years after the film’s release, Sonali has opened up about the decision and admitted that she herself initially wondered whether she could pull off the role. However, the actress eventually accepted the challenge after director Ali Abbas Zafar and casting director Mukesh Chhabra explained why they were convinced she was the right person for the character.
Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Actress | Sonali Kulkarni |
| Film | Bharat |
| Character | Janki Devi |
| On-Screen Son | Salman Khan |
| Age Difference | Sonali is 9 years younger |
| Director | Ali Abbas Zafar |
| Casting Director | Mukesh Chhabra |
| Initial Reaction | Sonali was hesitant |
| Reason She Accepted | Important flashback role + acting challenge |
| Remuneration | She said she was paid well |
| Release Year | 2019 |
Sonali Initially Said She Couldn’t Play Salman’s Mother
When the role was offered to Sonali Kulkarni, the actress did not immediately say yes. In fact, she recalled telling the team during the casting process that she could not play the role.
Her biggest concern was the obvious age difference. Playing the mother of an actor who was nine years older than her could easily look unusual on screen.
However, Ali Abbas Zafar and Mukesh Chhabra were reportedly very confident about their casting choice. They explained to Sonali that the flashback portions of Bharat were extremely important to the overall narrative and that her character played a crucial role in shaping the protagonist’s journey.
After hearing their reasoning, Sonali decided to look beyond the age difference and approach the role as an acting challenge.
Why Was Sonali’s Character So Important?
According to Sonali, the flashback was not simply an additional part of Bharat. It was central to understanding the protagonist.
The story follows Salman Khan’s character Bharat through different stages of his life, and his childhood experiences help explain many of the decisions he makes later. Janki Devi, therefore, becomes an important emotional figure in that journey.
Sonali said the filmmakers were conscious of the importance of casting the right person. She reasoned that no director or casting director would deliberately choose someone unsuitable for such an important role because a poor casting decision would ultimately hurt the film itself.
That convinced her to trust the filmmakers and take on the unconventional role.
There Was Another Reason: Salman Khan
The Sonali Kulkarni Salman Khan connection was another factor that made the project attractive to the actress.
Sonali admitted that she was curious to meet and work with Salman Khan. She had heard plenty about the superstar before joining Bharat, but her actual experience on set turned out to be positive.
According to the actress, she and Salman bonded well during the shoot. She described him as gracious towards people around him and said that one could learn from the way he treats others.
She also recalled a light-hearted moment when Salman allowed her to ride his bicycle. The small gesture became one of her memorable experiences from the Bharat set.
Sonali Says She Was Paid Well for Bharat
There was also a practical reason behind Sonali accepting the role. The actress openly acknowledged that she was paid well for Bharat.
While the creative challenge and the opportunity to work with Salman were important, the remuneration clearly made the project attractive from a professional standpoint as well.
Sonali has therefore made it clear that she does not regret accepting the role despite the unusual age equation.
Most of Her Scenes Were With Young Bharat
Interestingly, the age difference between Sonali Kulkarni and Salman Khan was not as difficult on screen as one might assume.
The actress revealed that most of her scenes were actually with the child actor playing young Bharat, rather than with Salman portraying the adult version of the character.
As a result, she did not have to spend a large portion of the film pretending to be the mother of an actor who was older than her. This helped make the casting choice more believable within the structure of the story.
Bharat Became a Major Commercial Success
Released in 2019, Bharat featured a major ensemble cast including Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, Disha Patani, Tabu and Jackie Shroff, alongside Sonali Kulkarni.
The film was directed and co-written by Ali Abbas Zafar and followed Bharat’s life across several decades against the backdrop of major historical changes.
According to reported box-office figures, Bharat earned more than ₹325 crore worldwide, making it one of the major commercial successes of 2019.
An Unusual Role That Sonali Does Not Regret
The Sonali Kulkarni Bharat casting may have looked strange on paper, but the actress now appears completely comfortable with the decision.
She initially questioned whether she could play Salman Khan’s mother, but the importance of the flashback, the filmmakers’ confidence, the opportunity to work with Salman and the attractive remuneration eventually convinced her.
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