'Dabangg' director labels Salman 'criminal'; says actor had 'unflattering image'
What's the story
Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap, who made his Bollywood debut with the blockbuster Dabangg, has once again accused actor-producer Salman Khan and his family of being "proven criminals." In a recent interview with Bollywood Thikana, he reiterated these allegations and expressed his dissatisfaction with the way decisions were made during Dabangg's production. This comes after a history of public allegations and disputes between Kashyap and Khan over their professional collaboration.
Image
'Salman's image back then was 'mawaali'
Kashyap claimed that Khan's image at the time of Dabangg's signing was that of a "chhichhora" and "mawaali." He said, "Salman's image at the time was that of a chhichhora, someone who would harass women on the streets." "This was around 2008 when I'd signed the film. He'd done Tere Naam then." "He had a very unflattering image, that of a crazed lover or a roadside Romeo. He also had that towel dance."
Production disputes
Not involved in key decisions for 'Dabangg': Kashyap
Kashyap alleged that he wasn't involved in key decisions for Dabangg, including casting Sonakshi Sinha as the female lead. He said, "I wasn't involved in the decision-making, I was told that decisions had been made." "He is a gunda (goon). I was not aware of this before Dabangg. Salman badtameez hai, ganda insaan hai (Salman is ill-mannered, he is a bad person)."
Criminal allegations
'They are not normal human beings...'
Kashyap further went on to say, "My opinion on Salman Khan and his family stands. They are not normal human beings. They are proven criminals." "He's out on bail. He's a convicted criminal, out on bail. A criminal is a criminal. There are things that even I know."
Family feud
Anurag Kashyap also had a fallout with Khan
Interestingly, Kashyap's brother, Anurag, also had a clash with Khan over Tere Naam. He was reportedly removed from the project after recommending that Khan grow chest hair for the role. Despite these controversies, Dabangg came out in 2010 to critical and commercial acclaim and went on to spawn two sequels, which Kashyap was not involved in.