Why was Salman Khan's character named 'Bharat' in the movie?

Ali Abbas Zafar spent several days thinking about a perfect name for the lead character of his upcoming film and the director says he even delved into mythology until he got a perfect title in 'Bharat'.

The film, which is scheduled to release on June 5, is a remake of Ode To My Father. Ali says he was extremely impressed with the 2014 Korean drama but the adaptation had to be in sync with the Indian sensibilities.

"I didn't want to call it Ode to My Father. I wasn't looking only at the promise he makes to his father but a lot of other things. I told Salman I'll make the film as not only his, but the nation's journey. But I needed to know what the character should be called," Ali told PTI.

The director said since Salman Khan was headlining it, the film had to be "completely re-written", while simultaneously finding an ideal Indian name for the hero.

"I thought Ram is an ideal hero from mythology. Could the character be called Arjun because he is doing it for his dharma, karma? Or should he be called Karna, a selfless hero. What do I call the film?

"I felt if he is synonymous with what the nation has been over the generations, he should be named after the country. One night at 3am, I was tossing on the bed, thinking hard, and then I had it: Bharat," he said.

He immediately shared the name with Salman Khan and producer Atul Agnihotri.

"Producer Sajid Nadiadwala had the title registered under him so I told him about our film. Both Salman and Atul also jumped on it. Once I found the title, I started writing the film."

Ali, who has previously helmed blockbuster Salman films such as Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai, was clear that he needs to put his maximum work into the writing.

The writing process for Bharat lasted almost a year and a half and Ali said, of all the Salman films, this one has gone through severe drafting.

"To bring out an emotion is the most difficult thing in a film. If you can crack that code, crack the reason you're making the film and how the audience will react, everything else becomes peripheral. Once I understood the emotion we were trying to show the film was set."

The 36-year-old filmmaker said he wanted to do a film on relationships and Bharat was a perfect choice.

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