As a six-year-old he watched a film based on a father-son relationship that left an indelible impression on his mind. As a 25-year-old, when he dreamed of becoming a director, he wanted to bring that bond alive in his film. Salman Khan then sat down to write a script, and Veer was born. “A veer is somebody, who stands by you and does the right thing. I thought about all that had transpired between my father and me. The sensitivity with which he had handled all the situations, including the time I was thrown out of college. I wanted to pay a tribute to my father. That is why my film, though it is the story of a valiant warrior, focuses on a father-son relationship,” says Salman.

Twenty years is a long time to work on a script and Salman said that a lot of changes were made to the original. Some which his father, script and screenplay writer Salim Khan made, and some when the project finally started taking shape. “I had even thought of casting Sanjay Dutt and Bunty (Kumar Gaurav) when I started working on my story, but that did not happen,” reveals Salman.

The actor says that he is jealous of Anil Sharma because he got to direct the project he had been painstakingly working on for years. But when he watched the film unravel on screen, he felt justice had been done to his script because he could not have achieved even 10 per cent of what Sharma had. “I am happy Katrina Kaif suggested his name because he has done a brilliant job. The best part is that though the film is set in the 19th century, the language has been kept simple sans any flowery dialogues, something rare for a period film.”

As for the reported differences between him and the director during the shoot, Salman confirmed that there were arguments on the sets. That too every day! “But those were purely creative differences. He would put forth his view and there would be a healthy discussion. After pack-up we would all sit together for meals.”

Even though the resemblance is there for all to see, Salman refuses to see the striking similarity between his leading lady in the film, new find Zarine Khan and Katrina Kaif. "Do you see any resemblance? I don't!" he says, cheekily adding that they took her because she looks the character. "We saw her two weeks before we were to start shooting the film. Before that we did not have any heroine," he remarks.

So why not Katrina? "That is because Yuvvraaj, our film together, was such a big hit!" he says sarcastically, adding that she was not free at that time.