'The stamina and junoon you see in him, for acting, singing, dancing, working out, just about everything, makes age just a number as far as Salman Khan is concerned.'
At age 14, Daisy Shah won the 'Miss Photogenic' title at a pageant hosted at a shopping mall in Dombivli, a city in Maharashtra's Thane district.
She soon found herself as a face in a crowd sequence in the Salman Khan-Rani Mukerji starrer, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaye.
Speaking to Rediff Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya for a special series on the actor who turns 60 on December 27, Daisy confides that her mentor and Jai Ho co-star was once so upset that he did not speak to her for a year-and-a-half.
"Then, one fine day, he messaged me saying when I was in Mumbai, I should meet him."
'Not many know that Salman is an excellent dancer'
My first meeting with Salman was way back in 1998-1999, during the shoot of Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye.
It was my first interaction with the entertainment industry and though I was just a part of the crowd, I was excited to meet a film star and asked Salman for a photograph.
He agreed, but by the time I got back, he had left the set.
Over the next few years, I became well known as a dancer and graduated to becoming Choreographer Ganesh Acharya's assistant director.
As I began talking work with superstars and teaching them dance moves, I shed my initial inhibitions.
During our next meeting on the sets of Tere Naam, Salman knew my name and I was not the tentative teenager I had been earlier.
I had my teacher's topi on as I explained the steps of Lagan Lagi to him.
Not many know that Salman is an excellent dancer, and what's even better for a choreographer, he gives his touch to the steps, making them his signature moves.
Lagan Lagi is still a craze while O O Jaane Jaana from Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya has become a cult song.
The Dabangg title track is also an evergreen chartbuster as is Sultan's Jag Ghoomeya.
What's amazing is that all four are very different songs without any stereotypical steps, but with that distinct Salman Khan flavour.
'He offered me a role in Bodyguard, but I politely refused'
While working as an assistant choreographer, I started modelling and even shot for a few films down South.
Masterji (Ganesh Acharya) was choreographing the songs for Dabangg and after returning to Mumbai, I asked if I could assist him.
He agreed and I joined him for the title track, Hud Hud Dabangg, which was shot in 2010, in Wai, Maharashtra.
Salman, who knew me well by then since I had assisted on several songs, asked me why he hadn't seen me in a while.
I told him that I had started working as an actress down South and he was very happy for me.
When he kicked off Bodyguard with Kareena Kapoor as his heroine, he offered me a role, but since it was a supporting role, I politely refused.
Salman was upset and didn't speak to me for a year-and-a-half.
Then, one fine day, he messaged me saying that when I was in Mumbai, I should meet him.
When we connected, he told me that they were casting for one of his upcoming films and he wanted me to audition for it.
'I was opposite Salman Khan, I couldn't have asked for a bigger break!'
He told me there were three important female characters, but couldn't say which one I would be offered till they saw the screen test.
I did the audition and, to my delight, I was picked as the leading lady of Jai Ho.
I worked on the film for 90 days; I was there from the first day to the last.
It was my first Bollywood film, and I was opposite Salman Khan, I couldn't have asked for a bigger break!
(Laughs) Not just me, my family and friends also had butterflies in their stomachs.
The action scenes were particularly challenging, but Salman would patiently rehearse with me before we started filming so I would be comfortable during the shot.
My character is called Rinky Shah and during the film's premiere in Dubai, the crowds were chanting Rinky, Rinky.
I am still called by the name sometimes which is not surprising because Jai Ho, a political action drama, was one of the highest grossing films of 2014.
'Salman Khan is a very wise man'
I've known Salman for over a decade now, and have to say that he's still the same person I met during Lagan Lagi.
He has been around for years, has literally grown up in the film industry because his father (Salim Khan) was a well-known scriptwriter, so he knows the ins and outs of it.
He helped me understand the life of an actor and how to conduct myself in the industry.
He stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and daily workouts, always saying that the biggest project you should work on is yourself.
More than advice, I would call them life lessons, which I am still following.
Salman Khan is a very wise man.
I was four when I saw Maine Pyar Kiya for the first time.
Back then, I was too young to appreciate the Sooraj Barjatya's directorial, but I watched it again when I was older.
It is the sweetest film I've seen and defines friendship and love.
Salman has his list of favourites too and I'm sure this film makes the cut.
'During the COVID-19 pandemic, Salman was on speed dial for me'
I liked him as the wrestler in Sultan too, who returns to the ring to open a blood bank with the prize money.
Of course, Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan in which he plays a little lost girl's saviour, who will cross borders and climb mountains to take her home to her village in Pakistan.
Salman himself is warm, caring and protective. He's always been there for me in a crisis.
I remember during the COVID-19 pandemic, his staff was doing the grocery run and whenever I needed anything, he was on speed dial for me.
I also liked him in another Kabir Khan film, Tubelight, even though the war drama did not get the box office numbers.
The world sees Salman Khan as a macho hero, dola shola with six packs.
That is perhaps why they weren't prepared to see him in such a calm, docile role in Tubelight.
I thought he was wonderful as Laxman whose childlike innocence, goodness and faith touched my heart.
He will be 60 soon, but even today, whenever I meet him, I tell him he is superhuman.
People half his age will not be able to do what Salman does in the gym, they will quit halfway, exhausted!
The stamina and junoon you see in him, for acting, singing, dancing, working out, just about everything, makes age just a number as far as Salman Khan is concerned.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
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