MUMBAI — As the blockbuster film Dabangg approaches its 15th anniversary, director Abhinav Kashyap has reignited his long-standing feud with actor Salman Khan and his family. In a candid interview with SCREEN, Kashyap alleged that his career was sabotaged after he refused to direct the film’s sequel, Dabangg 2.
Kashyap did not hold back in his criticism of the superstar’s professional conduct. He claimed that Salman Khan is “not even interested in acting” and has not been for the past 25 years. “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. He is a gunda (goon),” Kashyap stated.
The filmmaker further accused Salman and his family of being “ill-mannered” and “vindictive.” According to Kashyap, the Khans “control the whole process” in Bollywood and “come after you” if you do not agree with them. He labeled Salman as the “father of the star system in Bollywood,” a system that he believes is used to bully and control others.
Abhinav also drew a parallel between his own experience and the struggles of his brother, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. He recalled that Anurag had written the script for Salman’s 2003 film Tere Naam but left the project due to clashes with producer Boney Kapoor. Abhinav claimed that Anurag was denied credit for the story and that Kapoor “misbehaved” with him, a situation that he felt mirrored his own fallout with the Khan family.
Despite Abhinav Kashyap’s repeated allegations over the years, Salman Khan has consistently remained silent on the matter. The actor has never publicly addressed the feud or the claims of sabotaging careers, even as the Dabangg franchise, which began with Abhinav’s film, remains one of his most successful commercial ventures.