Sonali Kulkarni has no regrets about playing Salman Khan’s mother in Bharat -- even though she is nine years younger than the actor.

The actor, now 51, played Janki Devi, the mother of Salman’s titular character, in Ali Abbas Zafar’s 2019 period drama.

She said she initially questioned the casting because of their age difference, but eventually took the role after the director and casting director Mukesh Chhabra explained its importance to the film, according to The Times of India.

Why Salman’s Mother

Sonali recalled questioning whether she was the right choice to play Salman’s mother.

“During casting, I said, ‘I can’t be playing this role,’” she said.

However, director Zafar and casting director Chhabra reportedly convinced her that she was the perfect choice for the character Janki Devi, particularly because of the importance of the film’s flashback part.

“The flashback meant everything to that film. That’s how Bharat gets his name and reacts to situations,” Sonali said.

She said she eventually understood why the filmmakers were so certain about their choice.

‘They Paid Me Really Well’

Despite the unusual casting and relatively small screen presence alongside Salman, Sonali has no regrets about doing the film “Bharat”.

In fact, she said the financial aspect was another positive side of doing the film.

She said the Salman Khan Films-backed production “paid me really well”, making the experience even more worthwhile.

Her time on the set also allowed her to watch Katrina Kaif perform in person, something Sonali particularly enjoyed.