Salman Khan was a shy kid, Arbaaz Khan a ‘regular seducer’, says Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan graced the stage to launch the trailer of the documentary Angry Young Men. Check out what Javed said about Salman Khan as a child.

Javed Akhtar and Salim Khan opened up about their legendary collaboration and shared hilarious anecdotes at the trailer launch of the upcoming docuseries Angry Young Men. Javed went on to say that the world might know Salman as the ‘dashing hero’ in films, but he was incredibly shy as a kid and spoke the least among everyone.

Salman Khan with his father Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar during the trailer launch of their upcoming docuseries Angry Young Men in Mumbai on August 13, 2024. (Photo by Sujit JAISWAL / AFP)(AFP)

What Javed said about Salman and Arbaaz

At the trailer launch event of the docuseries Angry Young Men in Mumbai, Salim and Javed sat beside each other on stage, and were accompanied by their respective children, Salman Khan, Zoya Akhtar and Farhan Akhtar on either sides. During the interaction, Javed went on to say, “When I visited Salim saab’s for the first time, Salman was not even one year old. He looks so handsome now, but it is not that has happened recently. Woh bachpan se hi khoobsurat the (He was a beautiful child). He was an exceptionally good-looking child. There used to be a black-and-white picture of Salman in Salim sahab’s living room. It was a small frame. I don’t know if he still has it. The other kids were born in front of me.”

Arbaaz was the ‘regular seducer’

He continued, “Salman is ‘He Man’, the ‘dashing hero,’ but he was this shy boy, bohot hi kam bolne wala, bohot his chupp chaap rehne wala bacchha tha (reserved and soft-spoken child). He would quietly sit in a corner. Jo badmaash bacchha tha woh waha baitha hua hain (The naughty one is sitting there). He was a regular seducer. Whoever was Salim saab’s friend, he used to build a special relation with them… People used to think wow he is such a sweet child. He never had ruffled hair. Even as a 6-year-old, he would have his hair done up. Have you ever seen a 6-year-old comb their hair? Arbaaz used to do it. (Laughs heartily). He had a lot of self-love.”

Javed’s remarks left everyone in splits. Angry Young Men is a joint venture produced by Salman Khan’s Salman Khan Films; Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment; and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Tiger Baby Films. It premieres on Prime Video on August 20.