Abhinav Kashyap, the director of Salman Khan’s blockbuster Dabangg (2010), has once again taken a direct dig at the actor. In a recent interview, Kashyap alleged that Salman is “not interested in acting” and hasn’t been for decades. He claimed, “Salman is never involved. He does a favour by turning up to work. He is more into the power of being a celebrity, but he is not interested in acting.”
The filmmaker went further, calling Salman a “gunda” and an “ill-mannered” person. “I was not aware of this before Dabangg. Salman badtameez hai, ganda insaan hai (Salman is ill-mannered, he is a bad person),” he said. Kashyap also accused the actor’s family of controlling Bollywood, stating, “They are vindictive people. If you don’t agree with them, they come after you. Salman is the father of the star system in Bollywood.”
Dabangg, produced by Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora, went on to become a major hit, spawning sequels directed by Arbaaz Khan in 2012 and Prabhu Deva in 2019. The franchise featured Sonakshi Sinha, Sonu Sood, Dimple Kapadia, Om Puri, and others alongside Salman.
After Dabangg, Kashyap directed Besharam (2013) with Ranbir Kapoor, and has also worked in films like Paanch and Yuva. On television, he has directed serials such as Darr, Siddhant, and Dil Kya Chahta Hai, showcasing his range beyond Bollywood controversies.