Hindustan Times
Last Updated: 06.10 PM, May 24, 2021
At an industry screening of Salman Khan's 2011 film Dabangg, the actor put filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra on the spot when he asked him for his feedback on the film. Dabangg, a tongue-in-cheek cop drama, established a new era in Salman's stardom.
A video of the film's preview screening showed everyone from Malaika Arora to Aamir Khan in attendance. Everyone was asked for their 'verdict' on the film after the screening.
Standing next to Salman, Vidhu said in Hindi, "There is no such thing as 'verdict'. I don't really believe in verdicts. I think it's a great effort." Pointing at Salman, he continued, "I think he's done a great character, really wonderful. A film's box office isn't an indicator of its quality. Some brilliant movies have been made, and they've been 'unsuccessful', this doesn't mean that they are bad films."
He added, "This film will be very successful, I believe. Salman wants me to be honest, and I'll say it again, his performance, and how the character has been written, is outstanding." Salman interjected, also in Hindi, "But you've already said this, what about the rest of the film?" The director responded, "Other things are not my kind of a film."
Dabangg, directed by Anubhav Kashyap, served as the acting debut of Sonakshi Sinha. It made over ₹200 crore at the box office, and spawned two sequels, the most recent of which was released in 2019.
Salman's most recent release was Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, which debuted on streaming in India to poor reviews. Salman will next be seen in Antim: The Final Truth. Vidhu's last release as director was Shikara. He's best known as the producer of some of Hindi cinema's biggest hits, such as PK, 3 Idiots, and Sanju.