Salman, the funniest Khan?

Part of Salman Khan’s swaggering on-screen appeal is his lofty dialoguebaazi that emphasises on matters related to commitment and ehsaan.

What doubles his charisma is his stock of one-liners that he liberally hands out when he's not on the big screen.

Though his mercurial temperament doesn’t always make him an interviewer’s delight, Salman’s unrehearsed irreverence and headline-grabbing quips can inject life in the dullest of press events or turn a mundane Q & A into a film journalist’s best day on the job.

We look at the 10 of his most amusing responses in recent times.

“I tried films with messages. Now I send text. They are cheaper.”

At a recent event, the superstar was quizzed about the shortage of meaningful cinema on his resume.

Hinting at his recent debacle Jai Ho, which harps on the significance of the common man setting a goodwill chain to take on corruption, the star made fun of his failure with trademark wit.

“I am a virgin. I am going to save myself for the one that I get married to.”

The opening episode of Karan Johar’s celebrity chat show, Koffee With Karan Season 4, witnessed Salman’s much talked-about debut.

The Dabangg hero made all sorts of funny, bizarre, serious and emotional statements as he answered the questions thrown at him by his Kuch Hota Hota Hai director, but this one poker-faced admission, which some news channels took rather seriously, went viral even before the episode went on air.

“Salim Khan has created superstars with his writing. But Salim Khan has produced me. I was his first production. So I'm ahead of everyone else.”

The famously curt star doesn’t hold back his innate smugness when asked by Filmfare magazine to compare his legendary father's (writer Salim Khan) success in creating superstars, namely Amitabh Bachchan, through hits like Zanjeer, Don and Deewar against his own success, even though he has never worked with his father.

"My baba (father) is at home. The industry has Sanju Baba (Sanjay Dutt) and then there is Sai Baba. The law is the same for everyone and we all have to respect it.”

In today’s scenario, celebrities from all fields, especially Bollywood, are expected to have an opinion on all topics under the sun.

While most would stick to a no-comments policy, the Bodyguard hero was as incorrigible as ever, poking fun at yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s eviction from Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

“A person who can bear Rakhi Sawant is a Veer in real terms.”

Anil Sharma’s Veer came and sank without a trace.

During its promotion, Salman was asked the obvious -- his idea of Veer (the brave).

Never to mince words, the 48-year-old cheekily picked on item girl and drama queen Rakhi Sawant.

Interestingly, the former Bigg Boss contestant is no less roguish and mocked his appearance on KWK saying if he’s a virgin, she’s one too.

"I have lent my six pack to Shah Rukh for the time being, so Ranbir doesn’t have to fret too much for a few days.”

During the music launch of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya, Sallu was in his element. (Back then, he still hadn’t fought with Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif was still his alleged girlfriend and he shared great camaraderie with Ranbir Kapoor.)

When the subject of Ranbir’s towel scene cropped up, leading to comparisons to the original shirtless hero, the Wanted dude came to the debutant’s rescue by kidding about his contribution in SRK’s loaded abs in Om Shanti Om, which released on the same day as Saawariya.

"I put in 50-60 names as I have a lot of loser type friends.”

With Salman, it’s hard to tell when he’s being sarcastic and when he's serious.

Those who have benefited from his largesse may rave about the charitable facet of his personality and how he’s the saviour for many a struggling artist and technician.

But the bratty star’s odd sense of humour categorises them in a rather unkind light while talking about his reasoning and recommendations as the host of reality show, Bigg Boss.

"You think Modi is best candidate for you, you vote for him. I live in Bandra I will vote for Priya Dutt, Baba Siddiqui. You vote for the best man in your constituency.”

How to have your cake and eat it too?

Learn the tricks of the trade from Salman Khan as he juggles between a diplomatic date with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, and plugging his own friends.

"I can get caught for anything, but I can’t get caught for acting.”

Salman doesn’t harbor any illusions about his limitations as an actor. He’s more than happy to call a spade a spade.

It’s not just the rest of the world that thinks the Maine Pyar Kiya sensation plays himself in film after film. Salman thinks so too.

"Thank God it wasn't Nirma soap.”

When someone from rediff.com asked him, “How do you feel about the fact that D'damas is associating with Kyon Ki?”, pat came the above reply.

And we don’t think it has *anything* to do with him endorsing Wheel detergent powder.