The actor says that he is not somebody who would shy away from admitting if he has a shortcoming. Adds the star, “So, if you are concerned about something that my fans would want to know about me, a plus point or a shortcoming of me, I would openly come out and say, ‘Boss I have this problem’. But perhaps, I don’t let them come so close to me because I don’t see any concern for me from anyone. I just see breaking news, headlines and controversies. That’s why I shy away.”

And guess what? Salman Khan has still not cooled off after the spat he has a couple of months ago at his girlfriend, Katrina Kaif’s birthday party at a restaurant in Bandra. Never mind how many times journos prop up the question of going for a handshake with Shah Rukh, he still prefers not to budge from his stand. We asked him the question again. Does he want to want to make it up with SRK. The answer again was a short, “No”.

The star has acted with his girl friend Katrina Kaif in Partner but it is Subhash Ghai’s Yuvvraaj that will see them pair up as lead actors for the first time. “We have acted with each other before and we waited for the right film to come by where we could act opposite each other. It was great to act with her. She is a talented person and I’m looking forward to the release of the film. The story of the film is really good and I think it will do well,” says Salman.

Salman Khan lights up in a conversation, the mega star straight from heart answers will delight his fans and put his foes in tight corner. Expert from the interview…

Don’t you feel it’s a black Diwali this year given the recession and the stock market crash?
I don’t think so. It’s a black Diwali for those who think that way. Essentially, we’re all survivors. We have to confront various situations in life. There’s a high, then a fall till everything seems hopeless and then the high returns, slowly but surely. Indians should not be disappointed; they should see the market recession as a struggle to come out on the top.

Does this affect you at all?
I’m fortunate that I haven’t been affected but a couple of my friends, inside and outside the industry, have suffered heavy losses because they had made huge investments. I feel bad for them but I’m being positive. It’s a passing phase all one needs is patience.

And the film industry?
I’m not the industry spokesperson. Ask someone who knows.

Did you expect Heroes, in which you have done a guest appearance, to garner good initial collections?
After really long, I had butterflies in my tummy because Heroes is really not the typical Diwali kind of release. It doesn’t go over the top with jingoism for one’s nation and heavy criticism for the neighbouring one. We don’t say Hindustan Zindabad, Pakistan Murdabad. That attitude would be wrong. If the film was on those lines, I would have thought twice before accepting it. There are scenes, which draw you emotionally. Like the one in which Indian jawans are flying kites and one of the kite’s flies across the border. The soldier crosses the lines and discovers that everything on the other side of the border is the same. So why do we fight?

What is your view on the Indo-Pak relationship of late?
I don’t know why we call them enemies. They are just like us. They love the same kind of movies. Our cricket teams have played together as one at the IPL matches. There’s no ill feeling while the teams play against each other. The so-called borders exist only in the mind. In America and England, Indians and Pakistanis share rotis at home. I think the relations on a personal level are fine.

Weren’t you disappointed that Hello didn’t do well?
I felt the film had potential. Atul Agnihotri is very honest and sincere about his work. So, I’m not disappointed that it didn’t do as well as we thought it would. Never mind, better luck next time.

Will you be in the adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone?
Atul has already begun work on it. He hasn’t approached me yet. But I’m always there to help my brother-in-law.

How did you land at Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts party?
Why do you ask? You weren’t expecting me to be there?