Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, the creators of the series “Made in Heaven,” have refuted claims that the characters portrayed by Pulkit Samrat and Elnaaz Norouzi in Episode 4 of Season 2 are based on Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
Speculation has been swirling among viewers about whether Episode 4 of the latest season draws inspiration from the hypothetical scenario of former lovers Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. In an interview with Mid-Day, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have categorically dismissed such conjectures.
The said episode, directed jointly by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, features Pulkit Samrat reprising his role as Bollywood superstar Sarfaraz Khan from Season 1, and Elnaaz Norouzi portraying his bride Leila.
Setting the record straight, Zoya clarified, “Pulkit is really fun. He’s a really good actor and he’s great fun to work with. I directed the episode in Season 1 with him, and I had a blast. People really liked him in the show. For a lot of shows, there are recurring characters. So when we were writing, we thought we should get him back and get him married. We weren’t really thinking of Salman and Katrina. But you are, and I guess that’s how art works.” Reema further added, “You can interpret it how you like.”
In this particular episode set in Nice, France, the on-screen couple Sarfaraz Khan and Leila celebrate their destination wedding. Sarfaraz, a prominent superstar who also appeared as a celebrity guest in Season 1 Episode 2, finds himself in a controversy after an illicit liaison at a wedding.
Leila, portrayed by Elnaaz, is an Iranian actor who has achieved success in Bollywood. Despite not having co-starred with Sarfaraz in a film, the characters are slated to announce a new movie, directed by Anurag Kashyap, post their nuptials. However, Sarfaraz attempts to replace Leila with a younger actress in the film, sparking tension.
To provide context, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif were romantically involved between 2003 and 2009. Salman, the son of screenwriter Salim Khan, has been a top-tier superstar since his 1989 debut, while Katrina, a British actor, entered Bollywood in 2003 and quickly rose to become one of the highest-paid actresses. The duo is set to reprise their roles as Tiger and Zoya, respectively, in the upcoming spy thriller “Tiger 3,” directed by Maneesh Sharma and slated for release during Diwali.
