Sooraj Barjatya on working with Salman Khan again: ‘It’s on the card, creating a fresh Prem for him’

In an interview with Hindustan Times, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya opens up about foraying into the OTT space with Bada Naam Karenge, and working with Salman Khan.

Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya is known for crafting Salman Khan's on-screen persona as the endearing character Prem, which has become an iconic figure in Indian cinema. Now, the filmmaker has revealed that he is currently working on a new script that will reunite him with Salman. Sooraj hinted that this upcoming project will feature a more mature narrative compared to their previous collaborations. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Sooraj talks about his decision to enter the OTT world with Bada Naam Karenge, which will stream on Sony LIV, and working with Salman again.

On reuniting with Salman

Sooraj Barjatya is all set to enter the OTT space with series, Bada Naam Karenge.

Sooraj introduced Salman as a lover boy of Bollywood through Maine Pyar Kiya in 1989. They recreated the magic onscreen with hit films such as Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Hum Saath-Saath Hain and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

Ask him about his next project with Salman, Sooraj is quick to note, “It is on the cards."

“But it is going to take a little more while because we have to accept that age is now there. I have to create a new Prem. It has to suit his age. You cannot expect him to do the same thing which we have been doing till now. So, to suit that age is taking me a little more time so that I can create a fresh Prem for him that goes with the same fun, same masti, and same family values,” he adds.

Sooraj is all set to enter the digital realm with Rajshri Productions. He is making his debut as a showrunner with Bada Naam Karenge, a tale about love, laughter, and family. Directed by Palash Vasvani, the series stars Ritik Ghanshani as Rishabh and Ayesha Kaduskar as Surbhi. The show will start streaming on Sony LIV on February 7.

Opening up about his decision, Sooraj shares, “The credit entirely goes to Sony LIV. Every time we thought of entering the space, we were told that OTT space belongs to crime and thrillers. People were telling us that our strength is family values, and OTT is not ready for family stuff."

“However, the executives at Sony called us, asking us to bring the Hum Saath-Saath Hain audience to the space... I was so honoured and so grateful about it. And they allowed us all the freedom."

The conversation sent Sooraj back to the drawing board, rummaging through stories.

Set against the backdrop of Ujjain and Ratlam, Bada Naam Karenge explores themes of self-discovery, relationships, and the enduring bonds of family. The series features Ritik Ghanshani, Ayesha Kaduskar, Kanwaljeet Singh, Alka Amin, Rajesh Jais, Chitrali Lokesh, Deepika Amin, Jameel Khan, and Rajesh Tailang.

The filmmaker mentions that the story is about a boy and girl coming from a small town and trying to find their own identity. "It’s a pure love story,” he shared.

On navigating the OTT space

The digital space is largely dominated by content high on explicit elements such as crime, gore, profanity, and mature scenes. However, Sooraj is determined to stay true to his ethos while navigating the space.

He shares, “After the pandemic, I saw a big shift where people are wanting to see family content. So many people reached out to me mentioning that they are comfortable watching some content on OTT with bad language coming up... They used to ask me for suggestions”.

“I felt the time is just right to bring in something which is not there. All my life, I've been working on things which are out of the box. When I tried to do it as per the trend, I failed. ... We have made this sincerely... I'm very proud of what has come up,” Sooraj ends.