
It has been over a decade since Pulkit Samrat made his Bollywood debut, and through the years, the actor has found a guiding force and source of inspiration in Salman Khan.
Recently, Pulkit recalled a piece of advice the superstar gave him ahead of the release of his debut film Bittoo Boss in 2012, words that continue to shape his outlook on success and failure.
Speaking to Variety India, Pulkit admitted that he was overwhelmed with anxiety before the film’s release, worried about how audiences would receive both the film and his performance. It was then that Salman offered him a reality check that has stayed with him ever since. “I was incredibly anxious, wondering how the film and my performance would be received by the audience. Salman bhai just looked at me and said, ‘Pulkit, I am Salman Khan. Even I don’t have the guarantee of my next Friday. So, who do you think you are? What are you going to achieve by stressing about it?'”
The advice, Pulkit said, completely changed the way he viewed the uncertainty that comes with the film business. “It made me realize that if someone of Salman Khan’s stature cannot guarantee the box office success of his next film, I have absolutely no reason to carry that stress.” Beyond that lesson, Pulkit also spoke about Salman’s unwavering commitment to cinema, describing him as someone whose life revolves entirely around films.
“He eats, sleeps, and breathes films 24/7. Even on a lucky day when he gets just three hours of sleep, he is constantly thinking about his projects, whether it’s spotting the perfect person for a character or brainstorming a massive action piece that the audience will love in the theaters. Seeing that level of commitment made me realize that if I want to achieve even 50% of what he has, I need to work 500% harder. Since then, hard work has simply become inherent to me.”
On the work front, Pulkit Samrat was last seen in the Netflix series Glory, while Salman Khan most recently made a cameo appearance in Raja Shivaji, directed by Riteish Deshmukh.