Security Of Audience Comes First, Then ‘Dabangg 3’: Salman Khan

Dabangg 3, which released amidst protests against the CAA, has made around Rs 91 crore in five days.

Salman Khan’s Dabangg 3, which released on Friday, 20 December, amidst nationwide protests against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), has managed to earn around Rs 91.85 crore in five days.

The business has been conservative so far, especially for a Salman Khan film, owing to an extent to the imposition of Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (restricting protesters from gathering against or in favour of the controversial law passed by Parliament last week), in some states and unrest in several other parts of the country.

Talking about the same at a group interview with the media, Salman said that “security” of his fans was more important than the film’s business in “troubled times” like these. And was confident that more fans will turn up to watch the film in theatres in the coming days.

“In such troubled times, to do well is remarkable. All the credit goes to the fans. And fans have been very loyal to me and they have gone (to see the film). In North India section 144 was imposed so those collections have not come. But they will go and see the film. I mean first it is their security and then comes Dabangg 3. In other states we have done pretty well.”

Salman Khan

And with a big release like Akshay Kumar’s Good Newwz coming up on 27 December, Dabangg 3 will have competition at the box office on the second weekend. The Salman-starrer has been made at a budget of around Rs 100 crore.

During the interview, Salman also said that he judges the response to his film through social media and box-office.

"The reviews of fans you come to know through collection of the film. That is the most important thing. You get to know the scenario in a theatre due to social media as people post videos,” he said.

After Dabangg and Dabangg 2, Salman returned as the much-loved Robinhood Pandey aka cop Chulbul Pandey in the third installment. Directed by Prabhu Deva, the film also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Sudeep and debutante Saee Manjrekar.