Much
before
Salman
Khan
was
called
'Sultan'
or
'Bhaijaan',
the
superstar
was
known
as
'Prem',
a
popular
screen
name
given
by
filmmaker
Sooraj
Barjatya,
who
says,
its
origins,
just
like
his
films,
stem
from
the
family.
Barjatya
made
his
directorial
debut
with
1989's
"Maine
Pyar
Kiya",
which
starred
Khan
as
Prem,
in
what
went
on
to
become
his
breakout
film.
The
duo
then
worked
on
films
like
"Hum
Aapke
Hain
Koun...!",
"Hum
Saath-Saath
Hain" and
"Prem
Ratan
Dhan
Payo",
in
which
all
of
Khan's
characters
were
christened
Prem.
Even
in
the
two
films
which
Barjatya
directed
without
Khan,
"Main
Prem
Ki
Diwani
Hoon"
starring
Hrithik
Roshan
and
"Vivah"
featuring
Shahid
Kapoor,
he
retained
the
name
Prem
for
the
male
protagonist.
In
an
interview
with
PTI,
Barjatya
said
the
name
encapsulates
everything
he
wants
to
say
through
his
films.
"'Prem' signifies
a
man
who
has
his
basics
right,
who's
traditionally
rooted,
has
fun
but
loves
to
be
with
his
family
and
is
good
at
heart,"
the
director
said.
For
Barjatya,
the
journey
to
arrive
at
the
name
which
would
later
become
a
signature
mark
for
all
his
films,
was
a
thought-out
process.
"When
we
were
working
on
the
script
of
'Maine
Pyaar
Kiya',
we
were
thinking
about
the
name
we
should
give
to
the
hero.
There
were
options
like
'Gaurav',
'Pratap'
and
even
'Raj'.
This
is
before
Shah
Rukh
Khan
came.
So,
'Raj'
was
also
there
as
an
option," he
revealed.
The
director
said
there
was
a
lot
of
deliberation
on
the
name
until
he
realised
what
he
was
looking
for
was
within
the
family.
"That
time
our
Rajshri
Productions' biggest
hit
was
'Dulhan
Wahi
Jo
Piya
Man
Bhaye'
(1977).
Prem
Krishen
ji
was
the
hero
and
his
name
was
'Prem'
in
that
film.
"So
we
all
thought
if
that
became
a
hit,
let's
use
the
name
for
this
film
too
in
the
hope
that
this
would
become
a
hit
too.
So
that's
how
this
name
started
and
has
stayed
till
now,"
he
added.
Barjatya's
films
have
always
featured
wealthy,
large
families,
often
in
the
backdrop
of
a
grand
wedding
or
a
lavish
family
function.
The
director
said
he
is
aware
that
there
are
people
who
feel
this
kind
of
cinema
is
dated
but
what
he
shows
in
his
films
is
an
honest
reflection
of
his
life.
"That's
how
we
were
brought
up...
In
a
house
of
15
people.
We
all
are
still
together.
My
whole
life
was
spent
with
mamis,
buas,
daadis
and
functions.
Otherwise
how
could
I
make
a
'Hum
Aapke
Hai
Koun...
!'
at
25.
That's
the
age
to
roam
with
girls
and
enjoy
your
youth.
"But
what
you
see
in
my
films,
it's
my
life.
My
childhood
was
very
green
and
beautiful.
There
was
no
dark
side.
My
films
come
from
what
I
saw
growing
up," he
said.
Credits
-
PTI