Sooraj Barjatya shares story behind Salman Khan’s popular screen name ‘Prem’; reveals his ‘Maine Pyaar Kiya’ jacket was inspired by Tom Cruise |

Sooraj Barjatya recently opened up about why and how ‘Prem’ became an important character for Rajshri Productions. He also revealed the story behind Salman Khan‘s popular screen name.
In conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Sooraj shared that the name ‘Prem’ became important for Rajshri Productions by chance. While writing Maine Pyar Kiya, they were unsure about the hero’s name. Eventually, they chose ‘Prem’ because it was the name of the lead character in Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye, a big hit at that time.

Barjatya further revealed that his father suggested the name ‘Prem’, hoping it would bring success to their film. However, he credited Salman Khan for making the character iconic through films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and Hum Saath-Saath Hain. Salman’s personal touch added charm, shaping Prem as a lovable, carefree family boy.

The ace filmmaker also shared how certain elements like a jacket, cap, or dog like Tuffy became iconic in his films. He recalled the support he received from many people, including costume designer Anna Singh, who quickly provided the cap when he requested it. He remains grateful for their contributions.
Sooraj shared that the jacket design in his films was inspired by Tom Cruise. He showed the idea to Salman Khan, and the final look was created from there. He believes that as people age, their aspirations evolve, shaped by personal experiences and the hardships they have lived through.