Sonali Kulkarni on playing Salman Khan's mother in Bharat despite being 9 years younger: ‘Was paid well’

In the 2019 film Bharat, Sonali Kulkarni played Salman Khan's mother despite being 9 years younger than him.

Sonali Kulkarni is nine years younger than Salman Khan, but she played his mother in Ali Abbas Zafar'ss film Bharat. Sonali is 51, while Salman is 60 years old. In a recent interaction, Sonali opened up about her decision to play a much older character in the film.

'A lot of convincing'

Sonali Kulkarni played Salman Khan's mother in Bharat.

Speaking to SCREEN, she admitted that during the casting process, she felt she “can’t be playing this role”. However, Ali Abbas Zafar and casting director Mukesh Chhabra were “very sure” about her casting and convinced her to take up the role. They argued that her character was important because of the emphasis placed on the flashback sequences.

She said, “The flashback meant everything to that film. That’s how Bharat gets his name and reacts to situations. No director or casting director would like to fit in a wrong person somewhere. That would be a failure on their part also. So, I tried to understand that. So, I took it up as a challenge.”

'Paid well'

Sonali Kulkarni said that it still took “a lot of convincing” on both their parts. She also admitted that it was her 'temptation' to meet Salman Khan that encouraged her to play the role. Speaking about her experience of working with the superstar, she said, “We bonded very well on the sets of Bharat. One can learn from him to treat people well. He was ever gracious. And he scored a point when he gave me his cycle to ride."

The film is directed and co-written by Ali Abbas Zafar. It stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover, Jackie Shroff, Disha Patani and Tabu. The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences. It was also a box-office success and was among the highest-grossing films of 2019. It grossed ₹325.58 crore during its lifetime theatrical run.

Salman Khan's next films

Salman Khan has Maatrubhumi: May War Rest in Peace, earlier titled Battle of Galwan, in the pipeline. Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film also stars Chitrangda Singh and is backed by Salman Khan Films. A new poster released in July indicated that the film remains slated for a 2026 release, although an exact theatrical date has not been announced.

Salman is also set to star in the yet-to-be-titled SVC63, directed by Vamshi Paidipally. The film marks his collaboration with South Indian actor Nayanthara, while Anil Kapoor is also part of the cast. The action drama is currently expected to release on Eid in 2027.