Salman Khan acknowledges Dabangg 3 lost business due to anti-CAA protests, yet feels it has done ‘well’ (original) (raw)

Salman Khan in a still from Dabangg 3

Key Highlights

• Salman Khan, in an interview, acknowledged that his recent release Dabangg 3 lost business due to anti-CAA protests

• The actor, however, said that it was remarkable that the film performed well in ‘such troubled times’

• Dabangg 3 has lost a significant chunk of its potential business in many parts of India

The nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have significantly hampered the business of Salman Khan’s 2019 Christmas offering, Dabangg 3. However, the superstar is unfazed by the losses the film has incurred and feels that it has done “well” at the box office and says that it is “remarkable.”

Salman, in a group interview, said, “In such troubled times, [for the film] to do well is remarkable. All the credit goes to the fans. And fans have been very loyal to me and they have gone [to see the film]. In North India, Section 144 was imposed, so those collections have not come. But they will go and see the film. I mean first it is their security and then comes Dabangg 3. In other states, we have done pretty well.”

Dabangg 3, the third installment of the Dabangg franchise, sees Salman returning as the naughty cop Chulbul Pandey. The film also marks the return of Sonakshi Sinha as Chulbul’s wife Rajjo. The new entrants to the cast are Kichcha Sudeepa as the antagonist and debutante Saiee Manjrekar as the love interest of Chulbul’s younger avatar.

In its four-day run at the box office, Dabangg 3 has collected over Rs 91 crore, a performance that is clearly not at par with that of a regular Salman Khan-starrer. In fact, it is after Tubelight (2017) that a film headlined by Salman, failed to go past the Rs 100 crore-mark in the first weekend itself.

A joint production venture between Salman Khan Films, Arbaaz Khan Productions and Saffron Broadcast & Media Limited, Dabangg 3 garnered mixed to negative reviews from film critics across the country. The word of mouth for the film is not flattering either.

Salman’s next release would be Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. The actioner, to be helmed by Prabhudeva, will arrive in cinemas on Eid 2020.