Sooraj Barjatya is one of the pioneers of Indian cinema whose craft has always been loved by the audience. Renowned for giving 'Prem' to Bollywood, Sooraj Barjatya kickstarted his career as a director in romantic film 'Maine Pyaar Kiya.' Over the years, Sooraj Barjatya has given Bollywood some of its most memorable family dramas, including Hum Saath Saath Hain, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and Vivah. Despite a career spanning over 35 years, he has directed only seven films, maintaining a reputation for quality over quantity. Among his films, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon remains his only flop. As this renowned filmmaker turns 61 today, let’s explore some lesser-known facts about his journey in the industry. Started career as an assistant director Before making his directorial debut, Sooraj Barjatya worked as an assistant director to Mahesh Bhatt for the film Saaransh (1984) and several other films. Debuted at 24 Sooraj Barjatya made his directorial debut with Maine Pyar Kiya film. He was only 24 years old when he made this film. This movie not just became one of the biggest hits of its time but also established Salman Khan as a rising star in the industry. Made films out of real life experience Sooraj Barjatya has always created family-friendly films that portray love in a respectful and wholesome manner. With Vivah and Hum Aapke Hain Koun, he explored marriage in different eras. He presented a nuanced take on broken relationships when he made a film like Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. In an interview, Sooraj Barjatya once revealed, ''When I did Maine Pyaar Kiya, I was out of college, 21 or 22 years of age and then got married and had two kids and you learn the value of friendship and you make Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! ''And then you lose a mother and you make Hum Saath Saath Hain, when you realise the value of marriage you make Vivah and then with Prem Ratan Dhan Payo you realise that every family has problems, you cannot deny.'' Picked up Nana Patekar's shoes While working as an assistant director on the film Pratighat, Sooraj Barjatya once picked up Nana Patekar’s shoes, showcasing his humility and dedication. In an interview, Nana Patekar revealed that despite belonging to a prestigious film family, Sooraj chose to start his career from the ground up, learning every aspect of filmmaking with sincerity. Reason behind naming his character 'Prem' Sooraj Barjatya has collaborated with Salman Khan on multiple films, where Salman’s character was always named Prem. The reason behind giving the characters in his film this name is because it was the name of the lead character in Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye, a big hit at that time. Barjatya further revealed that his father suggested the name ‘Prem’, hoping it would bring success to their film. However, he credited Salman Khan for making the character iconic through films like Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and Hum Saath-Saath Hain.Original Article by Dainik Bhaskar