Strategising is something that the Khans have mastered over the years: Salman
“One needs to be observant to see that the three Khans not only select stories which are considered safe but are unwilling to take projects that can be risky for the production houses,’’ says well-known trade expert Amar Solanki who has been analysing films for over four decades. “They opt for big production houses that spend lavishly on making good-looking films and are also generous when it comes to promoting and marketing them. These films get spoken and written about so much by the media before their release that fans, and even those who are not fans, feel denied if they don’t watch the film.’’
When it comes to fan-following, no one can beat Salman Khan. Though embroiled in legal battles with the intelligentsia crying hoarse over the favourable judgment he received in a case which had dragged on for over a decade, the man’s aura does not seem to diminishing. Each one of his Friday releases get huge openings all over the world. A profit of 100 crore rupees per film is normal for this actor. His last film Sultan earned six billion rupees at the box office and is still raking in moolha. The hero who thinks his acting skills are nothing to write home about continues to be a charmer when it comes to box office returns. He says, “With every film I try and give the audiences a little more than the previous film in terms of comedy, action, drama and so on.’’
In 2007 Salman started an NGO ‘Being Human’ which works for the education and healthcare of the underprivileged. His fans feel he genuinely helps the needy.
Another reason for the Khans’ success is the change in the films’ storylines. The scripts in periods in which Rishi Kapoor, Govinda and even Amitabh Bachchan reigned supreme used to have a typical romantic storyline — the boy falls in love with the girl, sings around trees five to six times, beats up the villain and ends up living happily with the girl of his choice. Rishi Kapoor, taking a break from films at the time, had said, “I got tired of flaunting colourful cardigans and singing duets in the Alps.” The audience too got tired of those themes.
Then came Baazigar and Darr (1993), and Anjaam (1994). In these three films a villain, SRK, was the lead actor. After their release, filmmakers began to entertain the thought of having off-beat plots. It took some time for the industry to change the ways of narrating stories on-screen by selecting different themes. Ten years ago, no one would have thought of making films such as Dangal, Fan, Bajarangi Bhaijaan or even Rockstar, Philuari, Lunchbox, Pink, and Kapoor & Sons. In fact, it’s new kind of cinema that has enabled Rishi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan experiment with their roles which they could never do in their heyday.
Earlier on in his career, SRK too blossomed as a typical romantic hero, becoming famous for wooing women. But he was the one who brought a different attitude to the industry. His wit, his charm, respect for women and love for his family came as a breath of fresh air to those who had misplaced impressions of the industry big shots.
SRK also personifies intelligence. In his tongue-in-cheek interviews he will say the same things over and over again, but in such a way that you end up reading, or listening to, the whole interview. He is active on social media and displayed his business acumen by starting his own film company Red Chilies. The net worth of his earnings is estimated to be more than 600 million dollars, which is why he is considered to be one of the richest actors in the world. To top it all off, he is known for his acting skills — 14 Filmfare Awards, tying up with the legendary Dilip Kumar, with eight best actor awards. He is also the recipient of the Padma Shri and Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Legion d’honneur given to him by the Government of France.
At present, it’s nearly impossible to dislodge the three Khans from the top [of Bollywood]. Though Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan and Hrithik Roshan are doing really well, they have not been able to match the Khans’ stature — and now it’s too late for them to do that, anyway. The younger actors are very good as well, but unless age takes its toll on the three superstars, no one can replace them.
Published in Dawn, ICON, April 16th, 2017