Salman Khan, this name has become synonymous with Bollywood for almost three decades now. Some know him as a superstar, while others see him as the beloved ‘bhai’ (brother), someone they prefer to emulate in Israel. In his 35-year career as an actor, Salman has led the way in more than a hundred films, with most of them turning out to be box office hits. As one of the Khans dominating Bollywood, Salman has scaled great heights and touched profound depths, successfully maintaining a massive fan base.
However, in recent years, Salman has faced challenges as his films struggled at the box office, and public acclaim took a hit. While the performance reports haven’t tarnished the actor’s star power, the question remains: is it time for Salman Khan to rediscover himself?
Today, on Salman Khan’s birthday, we speak to film producers and industry experts to understand what people expect from a star and how he can re-establish himself by 2023, akin to the comeback Shah Rukh Khan made.
Does Salman Khan need a major transformation? Filmmaker Anees Bazmee, who has directed Salman in entertaining masala films like “No Entry” (2005) and “Ready” (2011), believes that what Salman does, no one else can. While he feels that the actor doesn’t need rebranding, Bazmee suggests that Salman should consider doing comedy once again and choose subjects that excite the audience.
Bazmee told Indianexpress.com, “I don’t think Salman needs to change his brand because people love him. If at all he needs a change, he should become a judge; he is the best judge. He has been working for such a long time and he knows very well what to do and what not to do. Since I have worked with him, over the years, I have seen him evolve and improve. He has always done good work, but in the last decade, he has been doing even better. His long-standing presence in the industry itself proves his capability.”
The producer suggests that they would like to see Salman break away a bit from his “macho hero” image and venture into comedy once again because ‘the time is right.’ They say, “I don’t think he needs a major transformation when it comes to his work. However, I remember his excellent comedy, as his sense of humour is extraordinary. Wasn’t he fantastic in ‘No Entry’? I think we should make comedy films. I really enjoy working with him; it’s a lot of fun. He has a very simple nature, never gives any date-related stress, and will give as many days as needed to complete the shoot.”
Salman Khan, counted among Bollywood’s most successful stars, has seen his recent releases – Radhe, Antim, and Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali – not perform as expected at the box office. Despite the trade hinting at a “content meltdown” in his recent releases, Salman’s Tiger 3, even after earning over 400 crore rupees, remains one of the least talked-about films this year. In fact, Shah Rukh Khan’s cameo in the film ‘Pathan’ garnered more love compared to Salman’s recent releases.
Discussing the potential reasons behind this, trade analyst Komal Nahata suggests that it’s time for the actor to focus on scripts because “if the content isn’t good, no amount of stardom will come to your rescue.”
They say, “I think the main issue with Salman Khan and his career is his choice of subjects. It seems like he’s opting for films that, at their core, cannot work miracles with a fundamental script. Therefore, there’s a need for him to change his preferences in films and exercise caution in selecting scripts. A film can only be as good as its script; if the content isn’t strong, no amount of stardom will come to your rescue. Conversely, if the content is strong, the absence of stars won’t hinder the film’s success. So, I believe he needs to be very cautious about this aspect and figure out what kind of films he needs to do. In my opinion, he needs to work with better directors. I feel like he isn’t collaborating with the right directors who can negotiate with his superstardom and keep him under control.”
Nahata also suggests that the actor needs to “focus on his acting.” He says, “In sequences like those in ‘Kabhi Eid Kabhi Diwali,’ where his hairstyle changes in the middle, I’m not saying it could make a film a hit or a flop, but these things keep adding up and can bother the audience. Today’s audience is very smart; they want respect. So, I believe he needs to change his perspective on selecting and then approaching the entire shooting process. He should work with top-notch directors and give them complete freedom. Rather than getting tangled in music, songs, dialogues, and script, he should concentrate on his acting.”
“In the past few years, when you start appearing in unsuccessful films, your stardom diminishes, and fans start losing trust in you. It’s happening gradually, so it would be better if he takes corrective steps.”
Film enthusiast Vishesh Chauhan suggests that Salman, known for astonishing audiences with his acting, should now take the opportunity to do so again and move away from his ‘macho hero’ image.
If you look at Salman’s career graph, he made a grand entry with “Maine Pyar Kiya,” followed by working in some regular love stories like “Kurbaan” and “Saajan,” and then he reached a lower point. After that, he did multi-starrer films like “No Entry,” received awards, and entered the phase of family comedies, delivering some fantastic films like “Hum Aapke Hain Koun” and then teamed up with David Dhawan for movies like “Judwaa” and “Biwi No. 1.” Following that, he faced setbacks with films like “Yuvvraaj” and some others that didn’t perform as expected. However, he then achieved another high with “Dabangg” and “Wanted,” and since then, he has maintained and even enhanced his macho alpha image. Vishesh says, “He has continued to reinforce this macho hero image in the films he has done.”
They emphasize the need for Salman to rediscover himself. They say, “While ‘Wanted’ was a true comeback, and since then, in all the films he has done, he has maintained that image, excluding ‘Tubelight.’ Although it has been working for him for so long, now it’s time for Salman to restart it. He has reached a stage after ten years where he needs to go to the next level. Salman Khan needs to rely more on his acting abilities rather than just star power.
“It’s necessary to add another dimension. His star power is immense, but there is a need to incorporate an aspect that the audience hasn’t seen yet. Collaborating with Vishnuvardhan, the director of ‘Shershaah,’ for his next film (‘The Bull’) could be the anticipation we’ve been waiting for,” Vishesh concluded.