Salman Khan had once opened up about incorporating specific changes in the 1993 thriller Baazigar, which eventually went to Shah Rukh Khan. Salman and his father Salim Khan had found the character ‘too negative’ and told directors Abbas-Mustan that there needs to be the emotional mother angle to the story, to soften the primary antagonist slightly. Initially, the director-duo dismissed the changes and called them cliched. After Salman exited the film and SRK became a part of it, Abbas-Mustan realised that Salman and Salim Khan had a point, and hence, Rakhee became the mother figure in the story.
Talking to Kapil Sharma on his show, Salman had said, “I liked Baazigar, but I found the character too negative. So I told Abbas-Mustan to add a mother-like character. Both the brothers laughed at us, saying that this is very cliche. This was dad’s suggestion that he is doing this for his mother. Anyway, we left the film and SRK signed the film. They saw the film,” Salman paused to imitate the director-duo drinking tea and then said, “Ma, na? After the entire film was completed, they called me and said that mother idea that you had na, we are adding to the film. Thank you very much.”
In a 2007 interview to Indian Express, Salman said that he didn’t grudge Shah Rukh his success. “I don’t regret it at all. Just imagine, if I had done Baazigar then there would be no Mannat standing in Bandstand today. I’m very happy for Shah Rukh and his success.” SRK had received much praise for his portrayal of Vicky Malhotra in Baazigar, a man seething with revenge towards the businessman who ruined his family’s life. The film followed his meticulous revenge as he befriended both daughters, played by Shilpa Shetty and Kajol. Baazigar was part of the stream of anti-hero films that SRK did in the 1990s, along with Darr and Anjaam.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan has returned to the big screen after four years with his action-thriller Pathaan. Salman Khan has Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan in the pipeline.