‘Paid me really well’: Sonali Kulkarni defends playing Salman Khan’s mother in Bharat

Sonali Kulkarni, a seasoned actress with a wide-ranging filmography, recently defended her decision to portray Salman Khan's mother in the 2019 coming-of-age period drama Bharat. At 51, Kulkarni is nine years younger than her onscreen son, Salman Khan, who played the title character. During casting, Kulkarni revealed she initially refused the role, but both director Ali Abbas Zafar and casting director Mukesh Chhabra were convinced of her suitability due to the importance of the flashback sequences.

These scenes were crucial for establishing Bharat's character and reactions. Kulkarni acknowledged the challenge of finding the right fit for the role and expressed gratitude for the support she received. She also shared that she bonded well with Salman Khan on set, learning from his gracious demeanor and even receiving his cycle to ride.

Kulkarni's role in Bharat paid her "really well," and she appreciated having the most scenes with the child artiste who played young Bharat, though she had relatively few with Salman. Despite her experience, Kulkarni found working with Katrina Kaif, who played Bharat's love interest, delightful, as she witnessed the actress's graceful dancing during a popular song.

Bharat grossed over Rs 325 crore worldwide, featuring a star-studded cast including Disha Patani, Sunil Grover, Tabu, Jackie Shroff, and Nora Fatehi.