Exclusive—Ahmed Khan on reuniting with Salman Khan for Sikandar, working with SRK and Aamir Khan, says 'Aamir has a charm, SRK is very energetic'

The former child actor and noted director praised Salman's unique style and energy, saying that he is one of the few actors who can make any song a hit with his dancing.

Ahmed also shared his insights on his latest projects, his journey in the film industry, and his experiences working with some of Bollywood's biggest stars.

"Reuniting with Salman was great fun because the last song that I'd shot with him was 'Jumme ki Raat' (Kick), and that was about eleven years ago. And, after that, probably when I stopped doing songs about seven or eight years ago, I only do it for close friends now. So reuniting with him was fun because we ended up on a very high note and, again, going back and doing a song, which is dancing. And it was great fun. And since I have known Salman for so many years, and I've been very close friends with Sohail and Arbaaz. So, it's always family working with him," he said.

Ahmed Khan said he considers it a privilege to work with Salman Khan, who is a huge star.

"Having Salman dancing is always a hit song if Salman is dancing in it. And I feel privileged that, you know, after reuniting with him after so many years, the song has really caught on with the public. And since he says so, that's what we decided—that we'll make Salman do his style of dancing, which people like. That's the reason, and I'm very happy to see it's connected with the audience so well," he added.

Ahmed Khan got nostalgic and spoke about how Jumme Ki Raat was loved by all and the hook step done by Salman Khan became a rage back then. And cut to 2025, Ahmed Khan says Salman Khan still has the same energy for their title track 'Sikandar Naache Naache.'

"When we shot, we were a little stressed out because it somehow reminded people of 'Jumma Chumma de de' (Hum) vibes. And when we did it and we showed it to the media, they really loved it and said it's another Jumma Chumma for us. So that itself was a success. And I remember people caught on to the steps of Salman's, holding the skirt in with his teeth of Jacqueline and then doing that dance step with, pulling his shirt, you know, like, fluttering his shirt like it's heat, it's hot, that kind of a step. It reminds me of a lot of good memories, and it got me all the awards, in fact. And now, when Sikander, we have done, it's Salman who's the same swag he has. He has the same childlike smile. And when he does a step, he does it with an attitude," he added.

Ahmed further added that he doesn't 'find too many changes in Salman.' He said, "Keeping the character in mind, we tweaked a bit in the choreography this time."

On working with Salman, Ahmed said he has his own aura and can make any dance move his signature style. Talking about the three Khans, he feels Aamir Khan has got a charm and SRK is very energetic.

"Having Salman, he has his own unique style. Probably, he's the only person who started dancing with just flexing his biceps and putting his hand in the pocket and tweaking right and left. So, people like that also. And at the same time, he's the guy who danced his heart out in certain songs. So the experience working with Salman is you have to keep his persona in mind. You have to keep in mind that he's a very good-looking man. So half the battle is won there when you put him in front of a camera. And that's the difference."

"If you talk about the three Khans, Aamir is very hardworking, and he's got a charm. He's got that brightness in his face whenever I've done work with him. Whether it is Rangeela, Ghajini, or any song, he is always fresh-looking, and he's got this chocolate boy image till now.

SRK is energetic and gives it his all

"Shah Rukh is very energetic. Whenever I worked with him, he gave it his all. He wants to do whatever you want him to do. And that's why he's Shah Rukh Khan. And, he's got that lovable face. And at the same time, when he does those singing bits, the way he gets that pressure on his face, his veins bursting out from his neck. So he's got his own style. So all three of them have their different way of working."

Ahmed Khan also spoke about his experience working with other Bollywood stars, including Akshay Kumar, Shahid Kapoor, Tiger Shroff, and Ranbir Kapoor. He praised each of them for their unique strengths and abilities and shared anecdotes about their time working together.

In addition to discussing his work with various Bollywood stars, Ahmed Khan also shared his thoughts on the current state of the film industry. He noted that the industry is constantly evolving and that choreographers and directors must adapt to changing trends and technologies.

Ahmed Khan's latest project is the multi-starrer 'Welcome to the Jungle,' which he is directing. The film features an ensemble star cast, including Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, and Jacqueline Fernandez, and promises to be one of the most exciting releases of the year.

Excerpts from the exclusive interview:

Equation with Sikandar producer Sajid Nadiadwala—he is like an elder brother

The equation with Sajid Nadiadwala is that he's like an elder brother to me, because when he directed his first film, Kick, he only wanted me to do all the songs. He didn't want anybody else. So that shows how loving he is and what I mean to him in his life. So, there we clicked so well. We go back to 1996, and we've had great relations since that time. I've directed three films for him, and then I've done his songs for his other films also. He's actually my brother. So the equation with him is unbeatable. He and Salman, when they get together, I really feel I'm working with two elder brothers. So that's the equation we share."

Working with Rashmika Mandanna

This is the first time I've worked with Rashmika, and she's a nice, young, bright girl. And she's got a beautiful way of expressing with her expressions. That's quite rare today with heroines. And she's coming from a streak of hits, so that also creates a nice bubble around her whenever she walks in. So, I know that she had injured her foot while I was shooting the song. Before I was shooting the song, she had injured it. But she had no complaints, whereas we had to take care of her that don't do it. She should try to do it. So when you see the song also, she's probably not doing too many movements with her legs.

Rashmika worked despite her foot injury

But she's standing, and she's moving her body, and she's done the maximum any girl could do. And I really give her all the credit, and I was very impressed when I worked with her that she didn't throw any tantrums. She used to keep icing her feet and just to get swollen also at times. And she still did it. And that's what is the mark of a superstar in the making."

Sunny Deol is my best student

I've worked with almost the entire industry. So if you ask me, a student, I would say Sunny Deol is one of my best students, though he's much senior to me. But the way he learns a step, you know, and he knows his limits, and you have to give him within that. And so sweetly he learns it because he's ignorant about dancing. So he completely leaves it on you, and then it becomes your responsibility to guard him and support him and not make him look weird.

I've done so many songs with him where, you know, I take it as a personal responsibility to take care of him, and he's looked good in them.

Akshay Kumar is like a derby horse

I feel Akshay—I call him a derby horse because he's ready for it. He's ready to go, and he never says, I can't do it. I've made him do what not in my life from his first song with me to date when I'm doing my Welcome to The Jungle. He is a guy who's the same, and he takes me back thirty-two, thirty-three years when I was also young and he was also young. And he's one of my best, best, if I talk as a student, I mean, when it comes to a dance director and an actor, Akshay is one of our best.

Love direction over choreography 

I've turned in the direction, but I enjoy doing any job. Of course, I did choreography for twenty-five years, and there you reach a fatigue, and you realize yourself that you need to change. And that's when I had turned my back on choreography. Not saying that I'd run away from it. But you need a break whenever you do something for too long. You get brain fog. So, then I turn in the direction. But if you ask me, I enjoy direction much more because you get to do everything in that. You get to do songs. You get to choreography and get to do action. You get to do your sets, clothes, dialogue, screenplay, and, of course, shooting scenes. So it's much more fun, and it's too much work, so that keeps you busy, and your mind keeps working. So, and you're not working in a streamlined way, like, okay, only choreography, only songs, only dances. It's got all aspects. So, I enjoy today; I'm shooting a song for three days, four days. Then after that, I start a scene that is very serious.

And then after that, I do a scene that is comedy. And then we have action, guns, horses, tanks, and helicopters. So it's so much fun. I feel like I'm a child in the candy shop. So direction, I love much more.

Forthcoming projects

My forthcoming project is that I'm directing Welcome to the Jungle. And, it's actually a jungle because it's got a humongous star cast, and they are so loving. And I love being on the sets with them because it's so much fun reuniting with all your old friends and, of course, the new lot also. So it's like a big university starting from first year till you pass out. So it's everybody who is there. So I'm enjoying Welcome to the Jungle, and I hope people enjoy it too.

Turning producer for Baap

And I'm producing I produced a film called Baap, which has got a very, it's like a heavy nostalgic event whenever I think of that film because it's got all the heroes of the eighties. And it's a tribute to all of them together. And they have gotten together to make this happen as a kind of a fan service movie, I can say. So one is this direction, and one is the production, which I'm doing, and that's been directed by Vivek Johan, the director of that film. And I'm just, like, writing down two films, which I'm going to lock down in the next two or three months, and they're also quite good, fun, action, and multi-star cast again.

Ahmed Khan is a renowned Indian choreographer, director, and producer who has worked on many Bollywood films. He was seen as a child actor in the hit film 'Mr. India.'

And later he began his career as a choreographer in the 1990s and has since worked on over 100 films, including "Rangeela," "Raja Hindustani," and "Ghajini."

Ahmed Khan has also directed several films, including 'Lakeer' and 'Baaghi 2,' and has produced films like 'Welcome to the Jungle.' He is known for his unique and innovative choreography style, which has earned him numerous awards and accolades.