China is good market for Indian cinema: Salman Khan

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, who is not only acting but also looking after the business part of his forthcoming film Race 3, says China is opening up as a good market for Indian cinema.

During a media interaction here, he was asked if as a producer and distributor of the film, he thinks China is a potential market.

Salman said: "China is a good market for our cinema. We have released 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'. We are releasing 'Sultan' in China and we will release 'Race 3' also."

"I think we need to increase our number of theatres. Right now, we are still surviving on around 5,000 screens where China has extended to more than 40,000 screens. So, I think once our screen number increases, we will be able to have such business. 

"With the small number of screens, we are actually doing exceptionally well. So, just imagine, if within 10 to 15 years, we increase the number, we will do great," he added.

The actor, who has an action hero image, believes that action stories work well for the mass audience if they have high emotional quotient.

"Whether it is romance, love story or a high emotional element, it works well. If I am doing action, I have to justify the reason behind doing such elaborate action scenes," said the actor.

Taking the example of some of his earlier films, he said: "Look at the films like 'Dabangg', 'Ek Tha Tiger', 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. It is always action and romance linked to each other that worked at the box office. Romance does not mean on-screen kissing and all, it should be a family watch. Romance should be in the eyes..."

Asked if he is interested in experimental work, Salman said: "I did ‘Tubelight'. It is now one of the most loved films on satellite. The fact is that it was not an Eid release film where people are coming to watch a highly entertaining, drama and comedy genre film. 

"When the audience is in a festive mood and they are offered a film where in the end they leave theatre crying, of course, the film won't work at that time."

"Having said that, it was a very endearing film and I loved that," he added.

His contemporaries such as Aamir Khan have played characters like that of an old father for which he had to gain weight and have grey hair. Will Salman ever be able to play such characters instead of the quintessential hero romancing beautiful women on-screen?

"I am playing a character in my upcoming film ‘Bharat', where the journey (of the character) starts from the age of 27, travels through the age of 35 to 45 and ends at the age of 65. The journey of the character has a huge graph. But no, he is not an old fat father, it is interesting," he winked.

Race 3 also features Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol and Jacqueline Fernandez. 

The actor is working with Jacqueline for the second time after Kick. Asked how his bonding has evolved with the actress, Salman said: "I know Jacqueline since the time she came from Sri Lanka. She is still the same - bright and a very vibrant girl with a lot of energy. Nothing has changed in her. I remember when we met, she was supposed to be a part of ‘London Dreams'."

"But then that film got delayed so she made her debut with ‘Aladin'. Finally, we started working together in ‘Kick'. We again worked in ‘Race 3'. She is fun to work with because she is a very good girl," added the actor.

Race 3 is releasing on June 15.