Salman Khan Birthday Special: A Walk Down the Memory Lane With the Dabangg 3 Star and His 15 Shades of PREM!

When you become a huge star in Indian cinema, there are bound to be some tropes associated with how you are portrayed on screen. Like the name of the character that you are playing. Amitabh Bachchan has been called Vijay in quite a few movies. Shah Rukh Khan is most associated with the names Rahul and Raj, that 'Rahul...naam toh suna hoga...' has become a popular joke. Same is the case with Salman Khan, and his association with the name, Prem. Salman Khan Birthday: Katrina Kaif, Sangeeta Bijlani, Sonakshi Sinha Arrive For Dabangg Star's Bash (See Pics)

Since his breakout role in Maine Pyar Kiya, Salman Khan has been synonymous with the name 'Prem'. Till date, Salman Khan has done 15 films where he has been named Prem. While all the movies where he is named so have in a romantic capacity, the characters are quite different from each other. Salman Khan Birthday Special: Decoding The Actor's Successful Box Office Formula.

On the occasion of Salman Khan's 54th birthday, let's look at all the Prem's the superstar has played over the year and dissect how different they are from each other.

Prem in Maine Pyar Kiya

The first time Salman Khan played Prem was in Sooraj Barjatya's Maine Pyar Kiya. The name seemed so lucky for both of them, that any time Salman appeared in a Barjatya film, he has to be called Prem. In MPK, his Prem was more of boy-next-door, who sees no class in friendship and love, and is a rebel with a cause.

Prem in Andaz Apna Apna

The Prem in this hilarious Rajkumar Santoshi film is someone you really don't want to get your daughters married to. He may be harmless, but he is dumb and can be easily fooled. Also, we are still figuring it out if he is finally marrying Raveena (Karishma Kapoor) for love or for her money.

Prem in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!

In Salman's second collaboration with Sooraj Barjatya, the Prem he plays this time around is a sweet young man, who is mischievous and romantic. He also loves his family way too much so that he doesn't really mind sacrificing his love to keep them happy. Luckily for him, the movie had a real furry hero in Tuffy who made sure Prem had a happy ending.

Prem in Judwaa

Salman Khan had a double role in David Dhawan's comedy playing diametrically opposite twins. If Raja was a street-smart ruffian, then Prem comes across as a privileged, geeky boy who can be easily intimidated. In short, an anti-Salman image!

Prem in Deewana Mastana

We don't really know much about this Prem because Salman appears in a cameo towards the end of the film. We can deduce that he is a charmer since he manages to win over Juhi Chawla's character, over Anil Kapoor and Govinda's.

Prem in Biwi No 1

The Prem in Biwi No 1 is a husband no wife should really want. He may be romantic at heart, but his philandering nature and cheating on his wife lose all kinds of grace points from us. Not to mention, abandoning his kids for a new woman in life.

Prem in Sirf Tum

Salman Khan appears as Prem in a cameo in Sirf Tum. This Prem is a mixture of Aman from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Prem in Hum Saath Saath Hai, and comes across as a likeable loser. This is the most unfortunate Salman portrayal, where he loses a girl to Sanjay Kapoor, out of all people!

Prem in Hum Saath-Saath Hain

The Prem in the third Salman-Barjatya collab is the most sanskaari of the lot, and a mama's boy too. He doesn't look in people's eyes while talking, cares about underprivileged people and only gets physical with his girl after they get engaged. And that physical is restricted to carrying her to the kitchen!

Prem in Chal Mere Bhai

Prem in Chal Mere Bhai is like the Prem from Hum Aapke Hai Kaun - loyal, adorable, romantic and sacrificial. But since this isn't a Rajshri film, the Prem in Chal Mere Bhai also gets to drown his sorrows in alcohol, and indulge in the theatrics associated with the drink.

Prem in Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye

This The Wedding Singer remake has Salman Khan's Prem as this unfortunate lover who had lost one girl to another guy, and is on the verge of losing another one. This gives the film a lot of opportunities to let Salman go OTT acting drunk and allow the other actors around him to ham as well! Great songs, though!

Prem in No Entry

Like Prem from Biwi No 1, this Prem is also a philandering husband, who has flings with multiple women, behind his naive wife's back. What's more, he even entices his honest friend to be on his path. Bhagwaan, aise pati aur dost ko kisi ko na de! Thankfully, he mends his way in the end. Or did he?

Prem in Partner

After indulging in various shades of love, it is time for Prem to turn a love guru and teach Govinda how to win over Katrina Kaif's heart. But like its original, Will Smith-starrer Hitch, love guru Prem won't help people who just want to have a one-night stand. Bhai, isse No Entry wale Prem se mat milana!

Prem in Marigold: An Adventure in India

Salman Khan's sole international film also, obviously, has him as Prem. This Prem is suave, good-hearted and charming, and imbibes most of the good qualities of the other Prem's. Strangely, that also makes him the dullest of them all.

Prem in Ready

The Prem in this Anees Bazmee's masala entertainer can make his female fans' hearts go Dinka Chika! He is a do-gooder with fists of iron, who can switch between macho and geeky personalities with ease, all over the sake of the girl he loves!

Prem in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

The final Salman-Barjatya film has the superstar in a double role. One of the characters is, unsurprisingly, called Prem who is a Mr Nice Guy, who can win over people with his good heart, and respectful nature. He is obsessed with 'quality time' and can give orgasms to girls without even touching them!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 27, 2019 10:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).