Abhinav Kashyap lashes out at Salman Khan and his family, reigniting debate on Bollywood’s star system.
Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap, who directed the 2010 blockbuster Dabangg, has launched a scathing attack on Salman Khan and his family. In a recent interview, Abhinav called Salman a “gunda” and claimed that the actor is not interested in acting and has been disengaged from his craft for the last 25 years. He further accused the Khan family of being vindictive and controlling the industry. The remarks have reignited the debate around power structures in Bollywood.
Abhinav Kashyap worked with Salman Khan during Dabangg and shared sharp criticism of the star. He said Salman is “ill-mannered and a bad person.” The filmmaker accused him of lacking dedication towards his profession. “Salman is never involved. He is not even interested in acting, and he hasn’t been for the last 25 years. He only does a favour by showing up to work. He is more fascinated with the power of celebrity rather than the craft of acting,” Abhinav said. He described Salman as a “gunda” and admitted he was unaware of this side of the actor before working on Dabangg.
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Kashyap did not stop at Salman. He targeted the entire Khan family and labelled them “vindictive.” He claimed Salman is the father of Bollywood’s star system, pointing to his family’s five-decade-long presence in the industry. “They control the entire process. If you don’t agree with them, they come after you,” Abhinav alleged. He suggested that their influence extends to production and distribution networks, making it difficult for outsiders to challenge them.
Dabangg remains one of Salman Khan’s most popular films. Produced by Malaika Arora and Arbaaz Khan, along with Dhilin Mehta, the film starred Sonakshi Sinha, Arbaaz Khan, Sonu Sood, Om Puri, Dimple Kapadia, Anupam Kher, and Mahesh Manjrekar. The success of Dabangg led to sequels while Dabangg 2 released in 2012 under Arbaaz Khan’s direction, while Dabangg 3, directed by Prabhu Deva, hit theatres in 2019.
After Dabangg, Abhinav Kashyap directed Besharam in 2013 with Ranbir Kapoor, Pallavi Sharda, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, and Javed Jaffrey. He has also acted in films like Paanch, Yuva, and Wig. On television, he directed several serials including Darr (1995), Ssshhhh Koi Hai (2001), Siddhant, and Dil Kya Chahta Hai. Despite his work, he has remained outspoken about industry politics.
Salman Khan continues to remain one of the biggest stars in Bollywood. He was last seen in AR Murugadoss’ action drama Sikandar opposite Rashmika Mandanna. His next film, Battle of Galwan, directed by Apoorva Lakhia, features him as an Indian Army soldier and is inspired by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. Apart from films, Salman is also hosting the ongoing season of Bigg Boss 19.
