Bollywood is not just worried; it’s hobbled. Two of its top 10 heroes are Salman Khan, who’s just been jailed, and Sanjay Dutt, who’s out on interim bail.
“Has any other industry faced such a situation? We don’t have too many heroes who can deliver the goods and attract audiences, which Salman and Sanjay can easily do,” says an industry insider. Salman’s brand equity has soared after the success of Partner, which has become the biggest film of the year.
But just who can play Salman and Sanjay, if they are out of action? Of course, Bollywood is toying with lots of options. But will they click?
Pure thrill: If you are looking for thrill, then the best replacement for Salman and Sanjay could well be Akshay Kumar. After all, the audience has stamped him as a show-stopper.
Romantic drama: For romantic roles, Bollywood may prefer to put its chips on Saif Ali Khan — perhaps the best replacement in the present circumstances.
Sheer action: Mature, older, action-oriented Ajay Devgan would fit into Sanjay’s screen avatars.
Real class: For such roles, Bollywood can’t do without Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan. But their hands are overfull.
Perhaps it’s time to look beyond the duo. “They are cult figures and they have a certain equation with the audience which makes them indispensible,” says David Dhawan.
There are producers and financiers who think otherwise. “Usually each film starring Salman or Sanjay would cost about Rs25 crore and very few actors can rake in that kind of money,” says a producer.
We cannot even think of a replacement for either of them. These two (Salman and Sanjay) have spent nearly two decades; they have carved out certain positions for themselves which nobody can aspire to fill,” say Abbas Mastan, the director duo.
Of course, director David Dhawan asks the toughest FAQ: “Can you think of any other actor with a bare body like Salman?”
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