Director Ahmed Khan, whose Friday release Baaghi 2 has already pocketed around Rs 85 crore at the box office, is now looking forward to his new role as a judge on the TV dance reality show Dance Ka Naya Tevar.

Ahmed, who has worked in several films as a choreographer, recounted to The Woods his encounter with the Khans and why Salman is a stress point on the sets.

“I can never work with Salman Khan. He and I are both unpredictable,” said Ahmed, tongue firmly in cheek. “We are both Khans and we have a lot of friction with each other. He’s good and I am okay in my place. When we worked on the song Jumme ki Raat Hain for Kick, producer Sajid Nadiadwala left us together and went away. I was so stressed. But I had to do the song. The first three days were okay. I kept wondering what steps to give him but on the fourth day we set a rhythm. We completed the song and it became the number of the decade. I also choreographed the football song (Tod Tadiyaa) with Salman in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.”

So why is it not possible to work with Salman again?

“Salman will shoot a rain song but he will make sure it rains everywhere but he doesn’t get wet. He had done everything when he was new (in the industry) and got rashes on his body. Now he does not take risks,” Ahmed said in a casual pitch.

On the two other Khans, Ahmed said he started his career with Aamir with the song Ille Wo from Rangeela. “I was taken aback by the lyrics as I didn’t know the meaning. A.R. Rahman said he made up the words and we have to choreograph the song. Aamir was not a great dancer but he had the rhythm in his body. Shah Rukh is so fond of dancing that he brings in a new level of energy on the sets. He jumps everywhere and uses the whole set as a backdrop. They would often come up with new ideas and tell me that they wanted to try them out. I would shout at them and say I have been here and done that. So now listen to me and keep your ideas aside,” laughs Ahmed.

Sanjay Dutt had his own style. “Sanjay Baba would come on the sets and say ‘We will kill it bro’. But on the day of the shoot he would say ‘Hata yaar, let’s do the usual,” said Ahmed.

Akshay Kumar, on the other hand, tries every new thing. “He is a go-getter and he knew he had no support. Shahid Kapoor had to be controlled as he has a lot of energy. But he really worked hard on Dhant ta na in Kaminey. I had told him that the song would be a hit among the youth.”

Ahmed, who also worked with Sunny Deol in Fool n Final in 2007, says: “Sunny Deol was like a bear.”

For Ahmed, it is a challenge working with the new actors, especially Tiger Shroff. “That boy is so good in dance and action. He knows all the moves. He is always ready to experiment and keeps inventing new forms. It’s very challenging to work with him,” says the director.

Ahmed, who started as a child artiste in Shekhar Kapur’s Mr. India, says he has always looked up to choreographer Saroj Khan as his mentor. “I was 16 when I was trained by her. I tried to bring my own style in dance. I brought hip hop when I did Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhen in Baazigar. Shah Rukh was surprised with the style,” says Ahmed.