After playing an obsessive fellow in Satish Kaushik's Tere Naam, Salman Khan plays a lovelorn character in Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa, opposite Tere Naam heroine Bhoomika Chawla.

The film is written and directed by Salman's brother-in-law, actor Atul Agnihotri.

Atul is married to Salman's sister, Alvira.

Dil Ne Jise... also stars Preity Zinta, with Riya Sen in a special appearance.

Rishabh (Salman) works in a media company and is romantically involved with a doctor, Pari (Preity).

The couple dreams of building a charitable hospital for the poor. Unfortunately, Pari dies in an accident, and the dream remains incomplete.

Rishabh becomes very lonely, but his life takes a turn for the better when he meets Dhani (Bhoomika).

"Dil Ne Jise... is totally the opposite of Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Garv," says Salman. "I liked Rishabh's character. How well I have played the character will be decided by the audience."

"If the film becomes a hit,' the actor adds modestly, "the credit goes to Atul. If it doesn't do well, I will be responsible because that would mean I did not play Rishabh's role properly. My character is fantastic. The film's success and failure depends on that."

Pari's part was to have been played by Salman's then girlfriend Aishwarya Rai.

Dil Ne Jise... is Atul's directorial debut.

The actor starred in Mahesh Bhatt's Sir and K S Adiyaman's Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam.

This is Preity's third film with Salman, after Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.