<p class="title">Coming off from two back-to-back successes, Ali Abbas Zafar is nervous about the expectations surrounding "Bharat", his third collaboration with Salman Khan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The director says it is natural for people to expect him and Salman to strike gold after two superhits -- "Sultan" and "Tiger Zinda Hai" -- together.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"With 'Tiger Zinda Hai' and 'Sultan' behind me, I'm more nervous for my next one because I know the expectations and anticipations will be really, really high," Ali told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The human-drama is a remake of the 2014 South Korean film "Ode To My Father".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is a very different film from 'Tiger' and 'Sultan'. We are trying to do something new with it. It's too early to talk about it," he said when prodded about "Bharat".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ali believes working with Salman has added maturity to his craft as a filmmaker.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"People tell me there's a lot of maturity in my work now. Maybe that maturity has got to do because I'm working with Salman Khan who has so much experience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The text that I write kind of compliments (him) and he as a mature actor takes it to another level."</p>.<p class="bodytext">While today he and the superstar stand as one of the most formidable director-actor duos in Bollywood, Zafar's first meeting with Salman - some seven-eight years ago - was about everything else but work.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"My first ever meeting with him was through Katrina (Kaif). She was there in my first film ('Mere Brother Ki Dulhan) and we went to his house, somewhere in 2010-2011.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We just had a very normal, regular conversation. At that point of time, I had no idea I am going to make films with him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He was a huge star and I was just starting my career. We had a nice chat about life and world but not about cinema. He asked me where do I come from, what I want to do."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking ahead of the world television premiere of "Tiger Zinda Hai", scheduled for March 18 on Sony Max, Zafar feels "liberated and uplifted" after the film became a blockbuster.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Success pushes me to work even more hard. Everything now will create more anticipation, we will have to pull our socks up and work harder to meet those expectations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"But when a film releases and you detach yourself from it, you can see the film more analytically and understand what worked and what didn't. That is a big learning exercise which always happens when you watch the film three-four months after its release."</p>
<p class="title">Coming off from two back-to-back successes, Ali Abbas Zafar is nervous about the expectations surrounding "Bharat", his third collaboration with Salman Khan.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The director says it is natural for people to expect him and Salman to strike gold after two superhits -- "Sultan" and "Tiger Zinda Hai" -- together.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"With 'Tiger Zinda Hai' and 'Sultan' behind me, I'm more nervous for my next one because I know the expectations and anticipations will be really, really high," Ali told PTI.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The human-drama is a remake of the 2014 South Korean film "Ode To My Father".</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It is a very different film from 'Tiger' and 'Sultan'. We are trying to do something new with it. It's too early to talk about it," he said when prodded about "Bharat".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Ali believes working with Salman has added maturity to his craft as a filmmaker.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"People tell me there's a lot of maturity in my work now. Maybe that maturity has got to do because I'm working with Salman Khan who has so much experience.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The text that I write kind of compliments (him) and he as a mature actor takes it to another level."</p>.<p class="bodytext">While today he and the superstar stand as one of the most formidable director-actor duos in Bollywood, Zafar's first meeting with Salman - some seven-eight years ago - was about everything else but work.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"My first ever meeting with him was through Katrina (Kaif). She was there in my first film ('Mere Brother Ki Dulhan) and we went to his house, somewhere in 2010-2011.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"We just had a very normal, regular conversation. At that point of time, I had no idea I am going to make films with him.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He was a huge star and I was just starting my career. We had a nice chat about life and world but not about cinema. He asked me where do I come from, what I want to do."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Talking ahead of the world television premiere of "Tiger Zinda Hai", scheduled for March 18 on Sony Max, Zafar feels "liberated and uplifted" after the film became a blockbuster.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Success pushes me to work even more hard. Everything now will create more anticipation, we will have to pull our socks up and work harder to meet those expectations.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"But when a film releases and you detach yourself from it, you can see the film more analytically and understand what worked and what didn't. That is a big learning exercise which always happens when you watch the film three-four months after its release."</p>