Salman Khan: A Star Away from Galaxy

While I was coming back from my office to home in the yellow-green Delhi Auto (I love this color combination!), my gaze fell on a small sticker pasted above the rear view mirror. I had seen posters of this man on almost all the autos, taxis, buses, small shops, in short in every nook and corner where India resides. The autowalah saw me looking at the sticker and put across a query " Bhaiya, Are you going for 'Ready' this Friday?". The exemplary glee and pride in his voice was evident.

That's the unique charm, charisma and mass appeal of this extremely good looking and 'somewhat' talented superstar of Hindi Cinema- Salman Khan. With uncountable flops to his credit and a not so sober image, Salman still manages to catch the imagination of the great Indian Aam Aadmi. But what exactly makes this Super-brat click? Where does he stand in front of the other two Khans..? Well, lets diagnose..

Salman Khan is not an actor, let's face it. He is a mere performer, a terrific one. His strength lies in being himself, not pretending (even remotely) to be someone else. Salman connects with the audience because, he does things that an ordinary young man fantasizes to do. So he rips apart his shirt and flaunts his muscular body, cracks jokes on farting, laughs very naturally, plays guitar on the seaside, dances with firangi girls on the beach, crushes the enemy with utmost ease and flamboyance. And ofcourse, woos women by singing romantic songs, dressing up in designer tees et al.

The audience also sees the 'rebel' in him. A guy who has broken law on many occassions, but is good at heart nevertheless. A friend of friends and a bitter enemy (Ask King Khan for both the aspects). The world also has a soft corner for him as he is perceived to be a man who has been betrayed in love time and again. So, the common perception implies that Aishwarya left her after climbing the success ladder, so did Katrina (if at all).

While SRK and Aamir are more like Businessmen, Salman is the people's man. The two of more illustrious Khans are shrewd intellectuals, very conscious of their image, the films that they do and how they behave in public. Off late they have presented themselves more like producers than Stars. They mean business, they deal in huge numbers.

Salman is a touch different, he walks in a friend's film just like that and research & preparation are two terms alien to him. Directors who know to tap Salman's " being self" talent, have succeeded in dishing out hits. Rest of them have just used him for no use effectively.

The original macho man of Indian Cinema, Salman Khan's career is very interestingly poised. His raw appeal seems to be working with masses but the urban audience might have developed a disconnect.His way forward heavily depends on films that he does post Dabangg, because there can't be many Wanteds and Dabanggs. He has already cashed upon trash masala stuff , the challenge is to go a step beyond and walk in a new lane. The question is what exactly can he offer us through 'Ready'?

Just for thought.- Have you seen anyone dance better than Salman Khan in 'Munni Badnam' ? Thats DANCE for you, rest of them I call as CHOREOGRAPHY.

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Don't miss Review of Ready on June3-4.