Salman Khan Takes Over as Numero Uno

MUMBAI — It’s official: Salman Khan has taken over — officially — as the Numero Uno of the Hindi film industry. The consecutive mega-successes of “Dabangg” and “Ready” have ensured that. He is the mass idol with class appeal, the man who rocks both single-screens and multiplexes, and who appeals from kids to PYTs to old ladies.

By the end of the first week, “Ready” at Rs. 105 crore-plus has neared the fourth biggest all-time grosser “Golmaal 3’s” total theatrical business of Rs. 120 crore. By the time this appears in print, it will have beaten “Ghajini” (Rs. 140 crore) and may even eclipse “Dabangg” at Rs. 148 crore. Of course, the ultimate benchmark, “3 Idiots,” remains at a distant Rs. 220 crore, but then that film was not just about Aamir Khan but a Rajkumar Hirani vehicle that came after the two “Munna Bhai” films, whose biggest star was the script. Incidentally, “Ready’s” opening weekend figures (Rs. 41.60 crore) have long passed those of “3 Idiots” (Rs 37.98 crore/4-day weekend) and are nearing the leader “Dabangg’s” feat of Rs 48.82 crore.

And that brings us to the crucial observation this reporter has made: that hits happen and cannot be designed is an axiom known to all.

But Salman Khan, like Hirani, belongs to the school of thought that believes in doing good work that creates big business, just like the passionate actors and filmmakers (or for that matter the writers and composers) of yore.

Not for him the cold-blooded calculation of cultivating media-hype, hit songs and projects and appreciation. He would not be seen within a thousand miles of pretentious products like “Peepli [Live]” and “Dhobi Ghat,” or outrageous non-family fare like “Delhi Belly”; and neither would he deign to accept a “O Darling Yeh Hai India” or even a confused and mid-way “Asoka.” He is not primarily a businessman but an artiste — and an artist.

As Gulzar once told India-West, “The fact that he is a writer’s son and also paints demonstrates that Salman Khan is both an artist and an artiste at heart. He is there for the art. He is not a businessman like other top-rung stars.”

Though the veteran writer-lyricist did not name them, the entire media is aware of his friction with Shah Rukh Khan over some cheap lyrics in “Billu” that made him exit the film. Inside (very) reliable sources also revealed how Aamir Khan had approached him for the songs of “Ghajini,” and Gulzar, as is his wont, wanted to read the script and found nothing but violence and revenge in it. “Aapko isse kya karna hai? Aap ko to sirf super-hit gaane likhne hain!” Aamir is reported to have told an outraged Gulzar. But Gulzar wrote some of his best songs in recent times for Salman’s films: “Jaan-E-Mann,” “Yuvvraaj” and “Veer.”

The other aspect of Khan’s success is that unlike the other Khans, Salman has steadfastly stayed away from the art/niche/multiplex/global kind of movies. He is fast on the way to become Hindi cinema’s answer to Rajnikanth, and if someone ever conceives a worthy Salman-Rajnikanth script now, the box-office might see a second (and this time) global “Sholay,” or even outclass it in terms of cult success.

As a Times of India story puts it, “The bad boy of Bollywood (sic) has now become its most bankable star.” Salman’s new film, his brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri’s “Bodyguard,” has sold only its India telecasting rights for Rs. 75 crore, pre-release, an unprecedented figure when released blockbusters are sold for Rs. 80-95 crore for global airing! Before release, this Rs. 65 crore production has reportedly already made Rs. 120 crore on the table!

At the age of 40-plus, an age all actors fear, Salman, 23 years after his debut in “Biwi Ho To Aisi” (1988) in the second lead and 22 years after his solo first film, “Maine Pyar Kiya” (1989) — has entered his most successful phase where he can do no wrong, whether the critics are with him (“Dabangg” and “Wanted” to an extent) or otherwise (“Ready”).

Director David Dhawan, who has been a close associate and has given many hits with Khan, states in the TOI story: “He has always been underrated. He is very serious about his movies. Like Rajnikanth, he improvises his scenes and has this flair for dialogue-baazi that comes from his father Salim Khan. He is never insecure about scenes and other actors, whether it is Akshay Kumar, Govinda or anyone else.”

Quite like Sanjay Dutt, Salman’s career has been checkered with a lot of personal problems, such as love affairs and legal tangles. But it’s the mass hero image — the tough macho hunk with a heart of gold who is gentle with the ladies — that is his connect base. He has steadfastly refused intimate scenes and kisses and is now the object of theories by psychologists and sociologists, all of whom have their own take on the man, his image and his success.

Salman, however, is a firm believer in the destiny of films and of actors. In the same “TOI” article, he has declared that these films have worked because of a team effort and not thanks to him alone. He refutes the suggestion that he is a phenomenon or has begun to take work seriously only now.

Strangely for an unmarried man, Khan also has this image of a family person because of the way he has helped so many parivaar members, from his brothers to Atul Agnihotri, his brother-in-law. Upcoming singer Amrita Kak states, “When he likes a person, woh usspe jaan chhidakte hain (he will do anything for you)!” Himesh Reshammmiya was bailed out recently, though Khan is known to be unforgiving to people to whom, unlike Himesh, he owes nothing, like Shah Rukh Khan and some others.

Salman’s mentoring criteria are also different. He prefers good people for whom values dominate over business. He has turned producer not to make more money or Salman-oriented films but to collect funds for his NGO the Being Human Foundation (Salman has always been a closet philanthropist and social worker but now realizes that his star-power gives him greater results for his causes), through his share in the profits.

His first co-production, “Chillar Party,” was an acquisition after it was completely ready (this reporter watched it before leaving to judge the National Awards on invitation of his father Salim Khan at a special trial) only because children needed a children’s film that was a proper children’s film: Indian-made, entertaining and with good values and a message. As he put it, “Unlike we adults, children always stand up for a cause,” which is what the story of “Chillar Party” is all about.

As for his other forthcoming films, “Kick” and “Dabangg 2,” along with “Sher Khan” and “Ek Tha Tiger,” have over 250 crore riding on them.

So, it’s official. Salman Khan is there — right at the top, saying “Hi, buddy!” to Rajnikanth, who is perched on the (at the moment) slightly-higher neighboring peak.

Copyright 2011 India-West Publications Inc. This article may not be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.