‘I am jealous’: Salman Khan awestruck by Mamata Banerjee’s modest house

PTI, Dec 6, 2023, 8:13 AM IST

Kolkata: Superstar Salman Khan on Tuesday said he was awestruck by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s modest house, maintaining that it showed that people do not need much to live.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Kolkata International Film Festival here, Khan recalled that he visited Banerjee’s house in the Kalighat area during his last trip to the city.

“When I was invited by Didi to her house, my only thing was I have to go and see whether it was really small, if it was smaller than mine… Shatru sir (Shatrughan Sinha) has come to my house, and he had a problem — there was no place to sit. It’s one room, one small kitchen like a pantry and a bedroom,” he said.

“I am jealous that her house is actually smaller than mine. And, I am jealous of the fact that how can somebody in this position have a house smaller than mine. I don’t wish for a smaller house but she has given me a big complex. It only shows how simple people are and we don’t need that much,” he said, pointing to the chief minister who was on the dias, amid an applause from the audience.

Also present on the stage was Sinha and actor Anil Kapoor.

In the same vein, Khan also recalled his meeting with Kapoor for the film ‘No Entry’.

“One day Anil Kapoor called me to his house. First, the ground floor, I thought this was his home. Then he said let’s go to the first floor, I thought that was where he lived. Then, second, third, fourth… he has a five-storied house, and I think it is even bigger now. I asked him, did you ask me to come here to make me feel jealous?

“He said no I need help with a film called ‘No Entry’. I took the film, and he helped me with that character. Today, I am here. People have loved the film and the character. Thank you Kapoor sir,” Khan said.

The superstar also said that this was the biggest film festival he has ever been to.