Everyone knows Salman Khan as one of Hindi cinema's biggest superstars. However, not all are aware that Bollywood's favourite Bhaijaan is also a prolific painter. On Salman Khan's 60th birthday, time is ripe to look at one of his less-known endeavours. The actor has many paintings stashed away at his farmhouse in Panvel. Some of Hindi cinema's biggest stars have also been fortunate enough to receive Salman's stunning creations. He has also sold many of his creations on canvas for large amounts of money, has had them featured in exhibitions and has used them to raise funds for his nonprofit organisation, Being Human.

What does Salman Khan paint?

Salman uses a bold and expressive style of painting featuring dark colours and bold strokes. Conventional palettes are rarely his forte; the actor often blends colours with his fingers or squeezes paint straight out of the tube onto the canvas.

One of the recurring themes in Salman Khan's body of work is the bond between a mother and child. A few years ago, he held an exhibition dedicated to none other than Mother Teresa. Google Arts and Culture first showcased these paintings of Salman Khan that serve as an ode to the world-renowned missionary, thus making the superstar's work available to an international audience, before the physical versions became accessible. The paintings feature one splash of colour and monochrome sketches, capturing the nun's habit right down to its pristine folds. The paintings draw the viewer's attention to Mother Teresa's form and posture rather than her face itself. According to Google Arts and Culture, "His works are large, stylistically arresting and often leave the viewer thinking."

Salman took inspiration from the missionary's selfless service and deep sense of compassion and completed the whole set of paintings over a long period of time. He also used the proceeds from the exhibition for his charity, using the funds to help the underprivileged.

Religious figures and symbols, such as Jesus Christ, Buddha, and Lord Shiva have also been part of Salman Khan's paintings. More than just talent, these pieces of artwork emphasise the importance of religious harmony. He has also earned critical appreciation for his monochrome ink and charcoal portraits for their sheer rawness and authenticity.

What does Salman Khan's ability to paint tell us about his personality?

Salman Khan’s painting ability reveals an introspective side of his personality that contrasts with his public persona. The media often portrays him as a macho and larger-than-life public figure, and understandably so because many of his characters have been such. Salman has been painting for quite a few years now, and he regards it as a creative and therapeutic outlet that offers him a deep sense of satisfaction. Salman's screenwriter father Salim Khan once revealed that he paints in the queit solitude of nights to relieve himself from the pressures that come with being a huge star in Bollywood. Nowhere is this more evident than in his fun and interactive painting session with nephew Ahil.

The actor has admitted that while his main profession often requires him to "pretend", such as to laugh when he is sad or romance a co-star even when he is upset, the canvas is the one place where he cannot hide. As Salman himself once told TV personality Mohan Kapoor at an event in Dubai, "While painting, there is no such cover. It is all you."