Bajrani Bhaijaan releases tomorrow: How Salman Khan has reinvented himself over the decades

Salman Khan, the eldest child of screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma, was born to be in Bollywood. Even Salim Khan wanted to be an actor but resorted to writing after he failed to make it big in acting.

Blessed with boyish looks that were a fad in the early 90’s, Salman Khan entered the industry as a humble beginner, in the 1988 movie Biwi Ho To Aisi. However, it was only in his next movie, Maine Pyaar Kiya that he swept girls (and women) off their feet and became the quintessential good boy of Bollywood.

Continuing his acting spree all through the 1990s with hits like Saajan, Andaz Apna Apna, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Karan Arjun, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Hum Saath-Saath Hain, and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, he ruled the hearts and the box office for years at a stretch. This was the time that Salman came to be known as one of the most stylish and good looking actors of Indian cinema. His good physique and a bare-bodied scene in every movie became his identity, along with the lover boy image that he always carried.

Come the 2000s and Salman continued with the same, lover boy image, but with some wrong choices like Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Yeh Hai Jalwa, and Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge, he suffered some setbacks. In his personal life as well, he went through a much-publicized breakup and some pending court cases, which further slowed down Salman’s pace.

There came a time when Salman’s career took a backseat and he struggled for a hit which could bring him back to the mainstream. Any which way, Bollywood in itself was not going through a good period at that time, but things changed when Salman, in his long locks and leather jackets, turned into the bad boy Radhe in the 2003 movie Tere Naam. The movie was a massive hit and brought Salman back in the limelight, but only for a small period of time.

There was a series of flops like Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, Lucky: No Time for Love, Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa, Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar, Saawan... The Love Season, Jaan-E-Mann, Hello and Heroes, but despite these continued flops, Salman remained one of the most sought after stars in Bollywood, because of the unending loyalty his fans had for him. He always had fans, but for his bankability, producers needed hit films, and with a line of films like Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, Dabangg 2, and Kick, Salman Khan has broken the record of the maximum super hits, and has became the most bankable star of Bollywood.

Bajrangi Bhaijaan releases tomorrow, but has already made a huge buzz in the industry. It is surely going to be a massive opener, given the strategic timing of its release, just after the holy month of Ramadan, the golden time that Salman is enjoying, and as we said above, the unending loyalty his fans have for him.

Image courtesy: IndiaTimes