THE highly anticipated Dabangg 2 looks set for release late next month. While first-time director Arbaaz Khan was initially anxious about his debut in the director’s chairs and directing his superstar brother, Salman Khan, Arbaaz said he eventually just “went with the flow”.
“There would be a certain amount of anxiety that comes with every job. It was there when I turned actor 15 years back with Daraar. It was also there when I opened my production house for Dabangg. So it was natural to be curious about how things would look when I started calling the shots. However, more than anything else, it was a feeling of positivity that surrounded me,” said Arbaaz.
In fact, I half-expected him to be either bogged down by the enormity of affairs, or be super-charged about being mid-way through the shooting of a film which, by all arguments, is easily the most awaited before the year comes to a close.
“One thing is for sure, I want to be engulfed by positive people and positive energy. That helps you do things better and be clearer about what you want to do,” he said.
Though it was always in his mind that he would become a director one day, the ripples caused by Abhinav Kashyap opting out of the film led to Arbaaz stepping in immediately.
Although this meant that he had to balance his twin jobs of being a producer as well as a director, with an added pressure of being solely in charge of a franchise as big as Dabangg, he also benefited immensely as the development turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Smiled Arbaaz: “There was a major reason behind my desire for calling the shots. As an actor, I had discovered during the past 15 years that I was fascinated more with what went on behind the scenes, rather than in front of it. I found it to be more creative. As an actor, sometimes I felt a little restricted as I was not really in control of the roles that I wanted to do. There was some progress, though, when I started production, because I found a little more control coming my way. I always knew that sooner or later, I would turn director. After all, I couldn’t have been relegated to being producer for the rest of my life.”
Salman Khan is back to playing the character which, overnight, turned his fortunes in the industry. Yes, we are talking about the one and only Chulbul Pandey. Salman is back as the loveable cop in Dabangg 2, the second adventure in one of the most successful franchises of all time in Indian cinema.
In Dabangg 2, Pandey has to battle the evil goon turned politician, Baccha Bhaiyya, as he tries to strengthen his family ties with his father and brother, and romance his newlywed wife – and remain Dabangg (fearless) no matter what. – bollywoodhungama.com