Salman Khan: Why he is the wonder man of Bollywood
New Delhi: He does the same thing in each of his films. Same antics, same stunts, same expressions- so much so that they look like a carbon copy of each other and yet Salman Khan's films work wonders at the Box Office every single time.
Think about it. The man is not one of the best actors we have in Bollywood. At 48, he is not young. He is a moderate dancer and doesn't believe in experimenting with varied roles. He sticks to formula films mostly. And yet, each time, his big budget films earn big bucks at the Box Office.
So what makes him click really? The content mostly, point out his fans. Salman may play the hot headed vigilante in his films who beats up goons with the same ease as he woos the pretty women but in entirety his films always are very 'family proof'. They have the usual ingredients that masala potboilers have had in Hindi films but they are always devoid of any 'scandalous' scenes. So Khan may woo the girl, stalk her to convince her that he is the one for her (ref: Dabangg and Kick) but will never kiss her or make love to her onscreen- because you know, that's inappropriate for the family audience.
Salman plays the alpha male who flexes muscles; the ultimate protector who never does any wrong.
Salman plays the alpha male who flexes muscles; the ultimate protector who never does any wrong. He might play the corrupt cop in 'Dabangg' but he also will share the booty with his junior colleagues, he might break the law to get an adrenaline high in 'Kick' but you realize that he is doing it to help someone, he may dare to fall in love with the enemy in 'Ek Tha Tiger' but he will never divulge his country's secrets and instead choose to live a life of anonymity.
Contrary to his bad boy image off screen, Salman plays it safe in his films. From playing the good son in Sooraj Barjatya's films to the recent do-gooder adrenaline junkie in 'Kick'- the characters are never objectionable. They are easily the most loved and widely acceptable characters for cine goers and that always works for Salman Khan.
Also, the kind of fan base that Salman Khan enjoys is unprecedented. No actor in today's time enjoys the loyalty of fans the way Salman does. Point out a flaw about the actor to his fans, you are most likely to be beaten up or abused. No seriously.
It's almost like a brotherhood. Sure Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan also have a huge fan base but none are so loyal and protective about their star the way Salman fans are. And the fans, perhaps ensure that 'Bhai's' films work at the Box Office.
Many scoff at the actor and his abilities. He isn't a great actor and his troubled past keeps popping up in conversations even now. But that all that is forgotten at the Box Office. With seven straight blockbuster hits- all earning more than Rs 100 crore, Salman is clearly doing something right every single time and also having the last laugh.
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