Salman Khan’s 2010 blockbuster “Dabangg” marked a milestone not only in his career but also for director Abhinav Kashyap. As the film recently celebrated its 15th anniversary, Kashyap once again opened up about his bitter experience during its making. In a recent interview, Abhinav Kashyap called Salman Khan a “goon” and accusing him of having a “cheap and rowdy” image before the film’s release.
Salman Khan
Abhinav Kashyap Accused Salman Khan
Abhinav, who is filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s brother, first revealed in an interview that working with Salman Khan was extremely unpleasant. He claimed that Salman was rude and arrogant, and once again, he maintained that the superstar desperately needed an image makeover before “Dabangg” could take off. According to Abhinav, Salman carried a “childish and cunning” reputation due to his earlier films like Wanted and Tere Naam.
Abhinav Kashyap Accused Salman Khan
Also Read: Maniesh Paul Dances with Sunita Ahuja On Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’s Song “Bijuriya”
Initially, Abhinav approached Arbaaz Khan to play the lead role in Dabangg. However, Arbaaz decided to produce the film instead and introduced Abhinav to Salman. The director revealed that he was paid a signing amount of ₹10 lakh and asked to start work. Despite being the director, Abhinav claimed he was kept out of key decisions, including the casting of Sonakshi Sinha, which was finalized without his input.
Dabangg
Tensions reportedly escalated during production, eventually leading to Abhinav’s exit from the franchise. He did not return for Dabangg 2, despite rumors suggesting he had voluntarily left the project. Abhinav alleged that the Khan family created hurdles for his career and accused them of being manipulative. He also pointed out Salman’s past legal troubles, calling him a “convicted criminal out on bail,” referring to the actor’s weapons possession case. Abhinav further claimed that Salman lacked passion for acting and only worked to maintain celebrity status. Following actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death in 2020, Abhinav had similarly accused the Khan family of sabotaging his career, which led Arbaaz Khan to file a defamation suit.