There was little surprise about Dabangg getting the kind of spectacular opening that it has. But the significance of this phenomenon should not escape us. So where was the Hindi Film Hero hiding all these years? Well,he was supposedly passé an outdated entity that seemingly went out slowly over the last decade. But then,between them,the multiplex culture and the corporates had conspired to take Hindi cinema away from Hindi cinema itself! Movies were now about people you met at any party or office,or even in the mirror. Stories were reflections of real life. The aim was global,but the result,unfortunately,satisfied only an infinitesimal segment of Indian audiences. Such films were Universal (if that) only in their censor certificates! As audiences helplessly craved for the classic (not crass) Hindi entertainer,few filmmakers had the will to make them,and fewer still the ability and intelligence. The music too was all about global sound and experimentation: an unappealing and monotonously-repetitious brew that failed to boost interest in,or the business of,the parent films,thus failing in the primary goal of any Hindi films music score! The indications that the movie consumers had reached the limits of their tolerance first came in mid-2009,before which such niche cinema had peaked. And leading the change was Wanted. A mainstream,full-on desi actioner that flaunted its Indianness in storytelling,values and appeal,it saw a Hindi film hero who beat the baddies to a pulp without getting so much as a scratch,romanced the heroine,laughed and cried,sang and danced,lived for his family,duty and nation and stylishly spoke lines that could not be easily forgotten. To a new generation brought up on international cinema and its wannabe versions,this was a novel and very gratifying experience. Here was the hero of hundreds of Indian folk tales and legends. Here was Ram and Arjun rolled into one - and somewhere in the viewers genes and upbringing lay a yearning for this man. By gratifying the viewer,Wanted further whetted the subconscious craving for the typical Hindi film we had all been missing with its perfect cocktail of emotions,romance,comedy,music and action blended into a gripping story. And so,it was a case of dil maange more from Hindi cinema as well as from Wanteds larger-than-life hero,Salman Khan,in a world of dudes and boys. And so the promos of Dabangg,the first of which came out around 10 weeks ago,brought instant identification. Probably never since the promos of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in 2001 was such hysteria witnessed. After the appetiser that was Wanted,it was now time for the main course. Smartly,two average areas of Wanted were enhanced in Dabangg the music and the heroine. Resurrecting that vital USP of Hindi cinema,the conventionally-filmed,rooted melodies helped multiply the advance-booking queues. Debutante Sonakshi Shatrughan Sinha added to the allure with her homegrown looks. The action looked awesome,the dialoguebaazi terrific. And yet,all these were finally just frills to the prime attraction the one-man entertainer that was Salman Khan. Dabangg,minus Sallu,would be nowhere. Talk about real (super)star power. For there was a key difference: Salman in Dabangg was not backed by an A-list director,co-star or composer. On the contrary,Salman was mentor to all of them. Salmans chequered career-graph has never been about having strong support systems in his major hits but of becoming a pillar and mentor himself to most of his directors,co-stars and composers. And thats what a true superstar is about! Another key difference lies in how Salman does not conform to a prevalent trend or genre but steers the audiences into wanting to watch the movie he acts in at any point,whether it is a Biwi No.1,Tere Naam,No Entry or Wanted. In this,he is following the hallowed footsteps of true-blue mega-stars like Dharmendra,Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth by making his fans accept him on his terms,rather than taking up what they might want from him. Move over boys,a (Sal)man is here.
