{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Why Sonali Kulkarni Played Salman Khan's Mother Despite Being Younger Than Him in Bharat",
  "summary": "Actress Sonali Kulkarni has revealed why she agreed to play the mother of Salman Khan, who is nine years older than her, in the 2019 film Bharat. She shared that the director and casting director convinced her to take on the challenging flashback-driven role.",
  "content": "Versatile actress Sonali Kulkarni, who has left an indelible mark across multiple languages and cinematic formats over a career spanning three decades, made headlines in 2019 when she portrayed Janki Devi, the mother of Salman Khan's character in Ali Abbas Zafar's directorial venture Bharat. Now, she has opened up about the compelling reasons behind her decision to play the mother of an actor who is actually older than her in real life.\n\nAddressing the casting choice, Sonali Kulkarni discussed how she managed a role where she played the screen mother to Salman Khan despite being nine years younger than him in reality at the age of 51. During a media interaction, she recalled that when the role was first presented to her, she straightaway told the team that she simply could not do it. However, director Ali Abbas Zafar and casting director Mukesh Chhabra were completely confident in their choice because the film's crucial narrative relied heavily on its extensive flashback sequences.\n\nSonali explained that the flashback era served as the very soul of the motion picture, laying the foundational groundwork from which the protagonist derives his name and shapes his distinct personality. No sensible director or casting director would ever want to cast an inappropriate actor because it would ultimately reflect poorly on their own judgment. Once she grasped the depth and structural importance of this narrative choice, she decided to embrace the opportunity as a rewarding professional challenge.\n\nBefore officially signing on for the project, the creative team had to put in considerable effort to persuade her. Another motivating factor for Sonali was her personal curiosity to meet Salman Khan, about whose remarkable industry reputation she had heard a great deal. She noted that they developed a wonderful bonding on the sets of Bharat, praising Salman's humility and exceptional courtesy towards everyone around him. She recalled how he completely won her heart on set simply by offering her his bicycle to ride.\n\nBacked by Salman Khan Films, the project also offered Sonali a handsome remuneration package. She revealed that a significant portion of her scenes were shared with the child artists who played the younger version of the protagonist, while her screen time with Salman was relatively limited. Nevertheless, she had zero regrets, as the schedule gave her the rare chance to witness Katrina Kaif perform live on set. Describing Katrina as a stunning beauty and an incredible dancer, she mentioned that they had a fantastic time enjoying the set atmosphere together, particularly highlighting the high-energy dance track Aethe Aa featuring Katrina and Salman.\n\nIt is worth noting that Salman Khan appeared in several distinct looks throughout the narrative of Bharat. Co-starring a stellar ensemble cast including Disha Patani, Sunil Grovers, Tabu, Jackie Shroff, and Nora Fatehi, the grand production turned out to be a massive box office success, grossing over 325 crore rupees worldwide.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis behind-the-scenes casting insight offers movie enthusiasts and general readers a closer look at how filmmakers make unconventional casting decisions based on narrative demands rather than real-life age gaps.\n\n• For Entertainment Enthusiasts: Fans gain a deeper appreciation of how script requirements and flashback eras drive casting choices in major cinematic productions.\n• The details provide valuable transparency into the collaborative efforts between directors and actors to bring complex familial dynamics to life on screen.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What role did Sonali Kulkarni play in the film Bharat?\nSonali Kulkarni played the role of Janki Devi, the mother of the protagonist played by Salman Khan.\n\n2. What is the age gap between Sonali Kulkarni and Salman Khan?\nIn real life, Sonali Kulkarni is 51 years old and is nine years younger than Salman Khan.\n\n3. Who directed the movie Bharat?\nThe film was directed by Ali Abbas Zafar and produced under the banner of Salman Khan Films.\n\n4. How much did Bharat collect at the box office worldwide?\nThe movie performed exceptionally well at the box office, grossing over 325 crore rupees globally.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/bollywood/philma-bharat-men-khuda-se-bare-salman-khan-ki-man-kyon-bani-thin-sonali-kulkarni-khuda-batai-bari-vajaha-24945",
  "category": "Bollywood",
  "publishedAt": "2026-08-31",
  "tags": [
    "Sonali Kulkarni",
    "Salman Khan",
    "Bharat movie",
    "Ali Abbas Zafar",
    "Katrina Kaif",
    "Bollywood news"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}