12 Years of Dabangg and the rapid resurgence of Salman Khan

It would be interesting to discuss in detail the curious case of Salman Khan, on the professional front at least. He has given historic blockbusters and humongous money spinners in his 34-year career. Right from Maine Pyar Kiya to Hum Aapke Hain Koun to Saajan to Hum Saath Saath Hain, he was the lovable, little loutish leading man of the yore. Personal turmoil took a massive toll on professional choices that led to a slump. With Tere Naam in 2003, Bhai was back on track.

The choices between 2004 and 2008 oscillated between successful and silly, until a certain festival was bestowed on his fluctuating film choices, Eid. Prabhu Deva made Wanted in 2009, which gave Khan a new lease of life. If Wanted was a drop in the ocean, Dabangg could be an entire rainfall in Salman Khan’s career, which has always been driven by unpredictability. This was his second Eid release in a row and still remains one of the most refreshing choices of characters he’s made.

The language and landscape was unseen, this was a territory largely unexplored by Khan in his movies. Dabangg walked and reached the finish line that also led to the birth of rustic cops in films like Singham, Rowdy Rathore, and Policegiri. This was a rare film that cracked the nuances of masala cinema right. Filmmakers often mistake moronic staples as masala. They are content with a hero fighting 100 people and romancing interchangeable actresses in outlandish outings. With Dabangg, debutant director Abhinav Kashyap connected the threads convincingly and peppered the narrative with monumental punchlines.

Sonakshi Sinha made a solid debut as an untamed belie with fierce eyes and razor-sharp tongue. Despite her character getting a raw and bizarre deal as the story forwards, she stood her own ground, fully aware of the towering presence of the film’s leading man. Dabangg was having fun with its childlike aura. It knew exactly when to be a baby and be gullible, and when to grow up and mean business. The current man of the messiah, Sonu Sood, was filmmakers’ go-to actor for demonic villains after Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra and Prakash Raj. What initially started with Chandramukhi continued with Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Dabangg, Shootout At Wadala, R…Rajkumar, and Simmba. And many other outings down south, like a film called Sita Ram (dubbed in Hindi).

Post Dabangg was the most historic rise for any star in history, arguably. Bhai became the force that pulled the crowd like a magnet. Even mediocre titles like Ready, Bodyguard, Jai Ho, were huge commercial successes. The sequels, Dabangg 2 and 3, I’m afraid, were no match to the legacy of the first film. Even the manner in which the songs were stuffed and staged, and filmed and choreographed, paled in comparison to the vibrancy of the tracks we experienced in 2010. It could be Bhai’s complacency that led to an enviable streak coming to an end. Chulbul Pandey was a character best left alone.

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