After reaching a certain age, you trust a film more than a star: Sooraj Barjatya

Filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya, who captured the charm and innocence of old-school romance in the 90s superhits like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! and later Vivah, in a conversation with us, reveals how he still believes in pure love stories and fairy-tale-like romances.
'We should keep the Prince Charming alive in our films'
While Bollywood hasn’t seen the quintessential lavish love story on screen for some time now, Sooraj truly believes in the power of that kind of romance. He said, "It is high time we go back to our roots and make films around simple characters and show dreamy scenes. It is important to keep the Prince Charming alive in our films. We might believe that the youth has fallen for dating apps and relationships are no longer permanent, but I don't think that's true. We should never give up on the pure definition of love because everyone at their core does believe in long-lasting romance."
'Web platforms should not stick to just the thriller genre'

Sooraj, who recently forayed into the web space with the show Bada Naam Karenge, which revolved around a love story, shares, "I thought the web space was only about maar-dhaad and thriller shows. But I am glad these platforms are now interested in making love stories, too. When I have a story which can’t be told in just two hours, I think the web platform is a good choice as it will do justice to it.”
'Salman is a star for the masses, but I know he is still that simple Prem I met many years ago'
Sooraj, who has worked with Salman Khan in many hit films, wants to work with Salman and Madhuri again, but not in a sequel to any movie. "I would not want to make a sequel with them, and even if I were offered to make a sequel to Maine Pyar Kiya, it would have a fresh cast," he explained.

He added, "Salman and I share the same level of friendship even after so many years. He might be a star for the masses and puts up that persona, but at heart, he is a simple guy who likes to sit outside the vanity van in a chair and interact with the crew. If there is a good script with characters that suit them, I would work with Salman and Madhuri. One wants to work with stars, but I have always believed that a good script is bigger than anything else. After reaching a certain age, you trust a good film more than a star."