Happy birthday, Salman Khan: Times he wooed us as Prem
Ask any hardcore Salman Khan fan about his most iconic character name, and they will tell you it is Prem. Interestingly, filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya first gave Khan this character name that went on to become his most famous and loved one. Khan played Prem at least 15 times? On his 58th birthday, we take a look at his top films where he played Prem.
'Maine Pyar Kiya' (1989)
The first time Khan ever played Prem was in Barjatya's directorial debut, Maine Pyar Kiya. Released in the year 1989, it featured Khan opposite Bhagyashree and became his first blockbuster hit. Maine Pyar Kiya not only helped establish Khan as a romantic hero in the early '90s but also set the ball rolling for some of the best collaborations between Barjatya and Khan.
'Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!' (1994)
The next collaboration between Barjatya and Khan was Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, which was released in 1994. Starring Khan and Madhuri Dixit in the lead roles, the film also featured Anupam Kher, Alok Nath, Reema Lagoo, Monish Bahl, Renuka Shahane, and Laxmikant Berde, among others in supporting roles. Khan played Prem Nath's role in the hit musical romantic drama.
'Andaz Apna Apna' (1994)
Rajkumar Santoshi's iconic film, Andaz Apna Apna, featured Aamir Khan and the birthday boy as Amar and Prem, respectively. The cult classic comedy-drama co-starred Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor as the leading ladies, while Paresh Rawal, Shakti Kapoor, Viju Khote, and Shezad Khan played pivotal roles. The movie was released in 1994 and is one of Khan's best films to date.
'Judwaa' (1997)
Filmmaker David Dhawan made many films with Khan, but Judwaa is considered one of their best collaborations. Essaying a dual role, Khan was seen as both Raja Malhotra and Prem Malhotra, two identical twin brothers. A remake of the Telugu film Hello Brother (1994), the 1997 film had a bumper run at the box office. Its standalone sequel/reboot, Judwaa 2, was released in 2017.
'Hum Saath-Saath Hain' (1999)
After Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Khan paired up with Barjatya once again for Hum Saath-Saath Hain. The multi-starrer film featured Bahl, Khan, and Saif Ali Khan as brothers Vivek, Prem, and Vinod, respectively. Tabu as Sadhna, Sonali Bendre as Preeti, and Karisma Kapoor as Sapna were cast as the three leading ladies. The super-successful family drama was released in 1999.
