Salman was 'insecure' about Sonu Sood: 'Dabangg' director
What's the story
Abhinav Kashyap, the director of the blockbuster film Dabangg, recently revealed that actor Salman Khan was insecure about his co-star Sonu Sood. In a recent interview with Bollywood Thikana, he claimed that Randeep Hooda was his first choice for the lead role, but that was rejected by Sohail Khan. "Sonu was my suggestion...I thought he looked like a young Amitabh Bachchan," said Kashyap about Sood's casting.
Director's insight
'He was very insecure because Sonu had a good body'
Kashyap said, "For the villain, I wanted someone who looked stronger than Salman." "I knew Sonu had a good physique. But Salman wasn't very keen. He was very insecure because Sonu had a good body." "Katrina (Kaif) helped convince him. She was around Salman a lot in those days, and she endorsed the idea of Sonu being cast."
Casting details
On Arbaaz Khan's involvement in the film
Kashyap recalled a 15-minute pitching session with Arbaaz Khan, who was interested in playing Chulbul Pandey. However, Kashyap felt Arbaaz was better suited for a supporting role. Eventually, Arbaaz agreed to produce the movie on the condition that he would be involved in it. The director further shared that casting Sonakshi Sinha wasn't his choice, but he was pleased with her performance.
Franchise success
About 'Dabangg'
Backed by Arbaaz and Malaika Arora under Arbaaz Khan Productions, along with Dhilin Mehta's Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision, the movie introduced audiences to the iconic character Chulbul Pandey. The movie became a huge commercial hit, celebrated for its dialogue, performances, and action scenes. It spawned two sequels: Dabangg 2 (2012), directed by Arbaaz, and Dabangg 3 (2019), directed by Prabhu Deva.