Bollywood is going through a great phase at present. So many different kinds of subjects are being attempted and are getting commercial success. Masala films continue to do well and the era of single screens, whistles, claps et al is very much thriving, albeit only in certain parts of the country. But 10 years ago, things were gloomy for the industry. The films were getting success but there used to vast periods of drought in between two hit films. Also, while footfalls in multiplexes were steady, in single screens, it was poor. The multiplex strike of April-June 2009 had further crippled the business of single screen cinemas.

But then came Wanted, which ushered in a new era. In producer Boney Kapoor’s words, “It brought back the concept of hero, something which was in vogue years back when Amitabh Bachchan used to play such characters. Somehow such cinema had become extinct.” Superstar Salman Khan played the lead role who, just like the industry, was also going through a tough time. Wanted put him back in the big league. Till today, he’s following the ‘Wanted’ formula of making mass-friendly, action entertainers (and with him doing away with his shirt in the finale fight) and now not just single screens but even multiplexes are lapping it up.

10 months before Wanted, Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini was also an attempt in reviving the testosterone-driven cinema. But it was not a complete action film and had other elements too. Wanted, meanwhile, had action in adequate doses and catered to the single-screen audiences who went crazy over the film and how. On the joyous occasion of Wanted’s 10th anniversary, we go down memory lane and bring back some not-so-known trivia about the film, including how Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan emerged as an angel for producer Boney Kapoor in times of crisis:

BEFORE RELEASE:

1. Wanted was earlier titled Wanted: Dead Or Alive. The makers were in favour of simply Wanted as the film’s title. However, a producer down South had the rights who asked for a huge amount of money to part with the title. According to unconfirmed reports, it was Salman Khan who paid for the title from his own pocket.

2. Not just Salman, but even his father Salim Khan made a major contribution to the film. The B4U group had filed a case against Boney Kapoor in the High Court and demanded a stay on its release. In September 2006, Boney had signed a MoU with B4U for a joint venture for which the latter had extended an advance of Rs. 10 crore to acquire rights of the former’s five films. The price of these films wasn’t fixed and moreover, B4U and Boney couldn’t reach an understanding. Meanwhile, Boney Kapoor was in a debt trap and in the absence of any funds from B4U, he joined hands with Sahara One Motion Pictures and produced Wanted. B4U hence moved the High Court which upheld that Boney can’t create third party rights to his films. It also directed him to furnish Rs. 10 crore as security deposit. Fearing that Wanted’s release may suffer, Boney moved the Supreme Court which allowed the film to release on its scheduled date. But it was told to deposit Rs. 2 crore within a week. Raising Rs. 2 crore was a difficult task for Boney and this is when Salim Khan stepped in. He immediately lent him Rs. 1 crore. Boney was moved to tears at this gesture. Salim saab however felt it was the most apt thing to do and stated, “I know people who have crores lying in Swiss banks and benaami accounts but they will not help you with even a lakh when it comes to the crunch. In fact, if you tell someone that you are looking for monetary help, that is the surest way of driving them away from your life. I think most of us are born selfish.”

3. Wanted began the trend of having Eid releases for Salman Khan. Barring 2013, Salman has had a release on this festival every year from 2009 to 2019 and is also scheduled to have a film coming on Eid 2020 as well. But it’ll be interesting to know that initially, Wanted was to arrive much earlier. The multiplex strike pushed it ahead, just like most films. Till April 2009, Wanted was to hit screens on July 3 and it was also to clash with Dulha Mil Gaya, which featured Shah Rukh Khan in a supporting role. Then it was moved to August 7. Later it got a release on September 18, 2 days before Ramzan Eid. The teaser was released with Love Aaj Kal, that came out on July 31.

4. Another minor jolt suffered by Boney Kapoor is when the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) gave the film an adults-only certificate. Several industry insiders, trade and even audience were left shocked since the film had violence but it was not too gory either. There were fears that it might restrict the film’s appeal. Even Salman in many interviews expressed his disagreement with Wanted’s ‘A’ rating.

5. Salman Khan promoted the film extensively. From the promotions itself, it was evident that Salman’s ‘re-birth’ has happened with Wanted. Even in the songs, he seemed in top form after a long time. His dance steps in ‘Mera Hi Jalwa’ was quite appreciated. He said in an interview, “It’s really amazing to see the dance steps I have done. I can’t believe that it’s me in the song, dancing like this, yakeen hi nahin hota ki aisa bhi kuch ho sakta hai!”

6. Salman Khan also used his game show on television, ‘Dus Ka Dum’ to promote Wanted. In a rare move, Boney Kapoor’s wife, the late Sridevi made an appearance in the memorable episode along with Boney, director Prabhudheva and actress Ayesha Takia. Without Sridevi’s knowledge, Salman sneaked in two of her paintings and presented in front of the audiences. Sridevi surprised one and all when she said that for one of the paintings, she used the tips given by Salman. What also made this episode special is that Boney and Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi, who is now also an actress, was present in the audiences’ section and Salman lovingly addressed her and her younger sister Khushi as two other beautiful creations of Sridevi.



AFTER RELEASE:

1. Wanted released in 1400 screens and its first day collections stood at Rs. 5.10 crore. It was the ninth biggest opener of the year but emerged as the fourth biggest grosser of 2009 as it collected Rs. 60.24 crore in its lifetime.

2. It was the massiest film of 2009 and after a long time, such a film had come in cinemas. As a result, his traditional fan base was out in full force. Around 70% of business in the first week was done in single screens, as per a report.

3. In Mumbai, Ankur cinema in Govandi had to paint a ‘Housefull’ board because they didn’t have one. Theatres in South Mumbai like Liberty and New Empire had to dig out the ‘Housefull’ board from their storage rooms as they didn’t need them for a long time. The scenario was similar in many single screens across the country.

4. Manoj Desai, executive director of G7 Multiplex in Mumbai, popularly called as Gaiety-Galaxy cinema complex, was heard saying, "Wanted has got the film industry and also the single screen cinemas out of the ICU. The film has got 100 per cent collections till now and it is only going to get better."

5. Boney Kapoor reported that in Rishi theatre in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, a gun firing took place between two sections of Salman Khan fans. It led to a riot-like situation and police had to resort to firing outside the theatre to disperse the crowd.

6. In Paras cinema in Jaipur, the cops had to request the theatre management to sell 200 tickets less to keep the audience in control.

7. In the biggest theatre in Hubli, Karnataka, almost 5,000 people gathered outside to buy tickets.

8. Unlike the norm, Wanted was released in all 3 theatres in Kanpur and police protection was adequately provided.

A lot of films’s tenth, twentieth, twenty fifth anniversaries are celebrated nowadays and many of these at times seem unnecessary. However, Wanted deserves to be feted as it was the first step in making our industry bigger and better. Today, most of the films in the Rs. 200 and Rs. 300 crore club belong to the action masala genre. Hence, Wanted is responsible for opening the eyes of the producers that such films are not dead, as believed then by many, and that they’ll always have an audience. May we have many such pan-India flicks in the future too!

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 8, 2018)

Salman Khan is pulling out all stops for the finale of his reality game show, Dus Ka Dum, reuniting with former co-stars and long-time pals, Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji. The episode will mark a reunion of sorts for the trio, who had featured together in Karan Johar’s directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

One of the episode’s highlights is Sunil Grover parodying Kaun Banega Crorepati and posing ‘difficult’ questions to SRK. Sunil asked, “Hypothetically what will SRK be doing at Salman’s wedding? Your options are a) Standing at the food stalls, saying — Badi badi shaadi main itne chotey chotey rasgulley? b) Joining the baraatis to do the naagin dance on a Bhojpuri song c) Consoling heartbroken girls or d) Checking gift envelopes to assess how much Aamir (Khan) and Akshay (Kumar) have gifted.” SRK picked the third option, quipping, “I befriended Salman just so I can take care of these heartbroken ladies.”

Salman insisted there is no pressure from his family, friends or even fans to tie the knot to which Rani suggested he drop the idea of marriage altogether and go straight to making babies. At one point, she revealed that SRK had once tried to set up Salman with a friend. Going by the guffaws that followed, we believe it didn’t go well.

BOMBAY TIMES (September 8, 2018)

This weekend, the iconic Karan-Arjun jodi of Bollywood will come together on one platform. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan will be seen together on the Dumdaar Finale Weekend of Dus Ka Dum tonight and tomorrow, and joining them will be Rani Mukerji. With their camaraderie and wit, the trio will be seen disclosing their hearts’ desires and many personal secrets on the show.

During the conversation, SRK mentioned how his younger son, AbRam, is just like Salman Khan. While the little tot expresses his love for his parents quite often, he also doesn’t shy away from saying ‘I Love You’ to any girl he meets.

Hearing this, Rani commented, “Salman, I wish you have a daughter. She will be the prettiest girl. She will be blessed with all your features. We can actually look at a rishta for your daughter with AbRam.”

To which, SRK was quick to add, “We shouldn’t have called Rani on the show. She is at it… she is getting people married, making them plan their children, all on this show. She should be called Shaadi Mukherjee.”

With glamour galore and fun unlimited, SRK and Rani will add to the befitting finale of the popular show. Also, don’t miss out on Sunil Grover’s (right) rendition of Kaun Banega Crorepati, as he proclaims himself ‘Duplicate Amitabh Bachchan’ and quizzes all the three stars on exciting questions.

Watch Dus Ka Dum- Dumdaar Finale Weekend tonight and tomorrow at 9.30 pm on Sony Entertainment Television

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; September 6, 2018)

The finale of Dus Ka Dum 3 is yet to be aired, but Salman Khan has already moved on to his other TV show, Bigg Boss. The superstar will host the 12th season of the reality show, which was launched in Goa. Ask him if it was because he was shooting for his film in the sun-kissed beach city that the show was unveiled there and he says he is only chilling there! “Every time the show is launched either in a studio or at a hangar, so this time we wanted it to be different,” he shares. Here, he talks about what brings him back to the show, what went wrong with Dus Ka Dum, and Priyanka Chopra not doing Bharat.

What brings you back to host Bigg Boss consecutively for nine years?
I find it interesting to watch people’s behaviour in the house, and when I see something going wrong, I get involved in it, unlike the other hosts who play it right. Earlier in my life, a lot of things have gone wrong, takleef toh hoti hai. Not only for the person, but even the parents go through a lot of trouble and pain. That’s the reason, when things go wrong in the Bigg Boss house, I tell them to not get into that space. But, honestly, this is where our country is going. If they do something that is not in our culture or go overboard then I step in for their sake. If those under the cameras inside the house are okay with behaving like that (badly) and people are watching them making it one of the highest-rated shows, obviously everyone is enjoying it.

Has the show been advanced this year because you will get busy with your film shoots later?
It has nothing to do with my film schedules or dates. The channel wanted the show to get over before December so that the contestants can be free to celebrate the New Year.

This time the theme is jodis. Will we see anyone co-hosting with you later?
No. But when Katrina (Kaif) got to know that the show will have jodis, she said she wanted to host with me! But she said that in jest.

You returned as the host of Dus Ka Dum after nine years, but it did not live up to the expectations. What went wrong?
What happened was we slotted the show on Monday-Tuesday, but nobody knew that it was being telecast. Wahan thodasa maar kha gaye. Even I had thought it was a brilliant idea to slot it on those days because on weekends people have several things to do. I thought ki log ghar baithke dekh sakte hain at the beginning of the week. Lekin that didn’t happen because the awareness was not there. Even Atul’s (Agnihotri) mother did not know about it. When the show was in its fourth week, she asked me when was it starting. Only when I told her (Atul Agnihotri’s mother) it had already begun that she started watching it... in the fourth week. The makers got to know something was amiss in the second or third week and they started checking. They decided to shift it to Saturday-Sunday, which was much riskier. But they got their promotions correct this time, even I created awareness about it in the show and it started rating 1.7-1.8.

Will you be hosting the next season?
Yes, why not?

Earlier at the press conference, you joked that one person who will not go into the Bigg Boss house will be Priyanka (Chopra). Has it got something with her not doing Bharat?
(Laughs) We were destroyed that she is not doing Bharat, we were devastated (he says placing his hand on his heart with a impish smile), but we had to handle it, and we did. (On a serious note) No, she had a genuine problem at that point of time, but it’s just that we should have known it slightly earlier. But I am sure it’s okay, hope that film (with Chirs Pratt) works out for her. She has got engaged and I am really happy. Arpita (Khan Sharma, his sister) had gone for the engagement. Now, we have Katrina in Bharat, she is looking beautiful and is working hard. But main waise dalte rehta hoon (about Priyanka), nahi toh boring ho jaata hai (smiles).

Dus Ka Dum host urges rapper Badshah to donate his winning from the game show to Raveena Tandon's charity Rudra, instead of his Being Human
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; August 17, 2018)

Not one to shy away from putting the needs of his contemporaries before his, Salman Khan gave fans yet another glimpse of his generosity in the recently concluded episode of Dus Ka Dum. Set to play the poll-based game show with guests Badshah and Raveena Tandon for an episode that will air this weekend, Khan urged the rapper to donate his winning amount to Tandon's charity instead of his Being Human foundation.

Tandon tells mid-day that while she arrived on the show to play for her NGO Rudra, her competitor Badshah was pitching for Khan's charity. "However, Salman told Badshah that Being Human is already getting abundant funds, and so, he could help my organisation instead," she says, adding that the amount earned by her and the rapper, Rs 5.80 and Rs 5.60 crore, respectively, was eventually donated to her charity. "Being Human is now established, and everyone knows about it. I will obviously never be able to [acquire] the kind of help and connections that Salman has. It was kind of him to do what he did."

Tandon - who also diligently propagates the cause of animal welfare - says she hopes to help the less privileged with Rudra. "While I had been helping those in need in the past, I would have to approach random people to collect money. I realised that ensuring transparency by making transactions legal would be ideal since we'd have an organised channel in place then," says the actor, adding that she aims to lend a helping hand to "widows and children of our soldiers who have been martyred" via the NGO.

Rs 11.80 cr
Amount Tandon's foundation earned through the show

The Badshah and the queen were the guests; Sunil Grover was at his entertaining best
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 4, 2018) 

The Kuch Kuch Hota Hai trio, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Rani Mukerji, reunited for the finale episode of Salman’s game show, Dus Ka Dum Season 3, on Thursday. The shoot kicked off at 8.30 pm and wrapped up around 1 am. Sunil Grover also made an appearance, playing several entertaining characters.

A source from the sets reveals that SRK made his entry on the Karan Arjun title track, Salman pushing the cart on which the Badshah was lying. Visuals from the film were also screened while the game was being played with Salman and SRK lip synching their popular lines and Rani playing director. Sunil waltzed in as Rinku Bhabhi from The Kapil Sharma Show and also in a Big B avatar to raise some laughs. With Sunil turning 41 on Friday, the team arranged for a cake which his two Khan dosts fed him during a small celebration after pack-up. He has bagged an important role of Salman’s friend in the Ali Abbas Zafar-directed period drama, Bharat. The episode is expected to air by August end.

Shah Rukh had made an appearance as a magician in Salman’s home production, Tubelight. The latter returned the favour, shooting a special song with SRK in Aanand L Rai’s upcoming Zero. Rani also turns up in a song in the film which features King Khan cut down to size as he plays a happy dwarf alongside Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma.

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 26, 2018)

One of the celebrity guests on Salman Khan’s Dus Ka Dum 3 over the weekend, Shilpa Shetty Kundra won Rs 10 lakh after beating rival contestant Farah Khan in the final round. Taking her philanthropic work ahead, the actor has donated her earnings to the Shilpa Shetty Foundation, her not-for-profit organisation that provides shelter and education to orphans.

Having kick started the initiative eight years ago, Shetty has taken several children’s homes under her wing, underwriting the cost of running them. She says the recent winnings will help her rebuild an orphanage in Belgaum — something that been on her wish list for a while. “The orphanage in Belgaum houses 60 children who are HIV survivors. For the past eight years, Raj [Kundra, husband] and I have been taking care of their accommodation, food and other needs. With this money, I want to rebuild the place. The renovation could easily cost Rs 40-50 lakh, but it’s a start,” she says.

The Belgaum children’s shelter, Shetty admits, holds a special place in her heart — it was when she read about the orphanage by chance that her journey to philanthropy kicked off. “I read about this young guy who was single-handedly running the place. He had taken in children who were ostracized because they had HIV. They weren’t even allowed to go to school because of the stigma attached to the illness. When I read that he was providing shelter and education to these kids, I approached him and started funding the orphanage.”

From hosting charity celebrity T20 cricket matches to performing at fundraisers, Shetty has been actively finding resources to ensure smooth functioning of her NGO. Disappointed at the way young girls are treated in India, she intends to champion the cause of their education. Glad to put her might behind the project, she says, “There are many families who want to educate their girls but can’t due to financial constraints. I would be happy to sponsor their studies. Salman has been doing such great work through his Being Human Foundation. I too plan to take my charity forward in a big way. A fundraiser gala is also in the pipeline.”

Actor set to return to TV with the new season of his reality show even before his gameshow winds up
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 25, 2018)

While Salman Khan’s gameshow Dus Ka Dumdaar Weekend is still on, with the finale expected to air in August, the actor is gearing up for the 12th season of his reality show, Bigg Boss. The makers are targeting a mid-September premiere for the show, which has been staging its comeback in October for the last three seasons.

A source connected to the show informs, “Salman has already blocked his dates to shoot the promotional videos in the first week of August. They will be shot at Mehboob Studios. As per current discussions, the Bigg Boss 12 finale will happen around the last week of December.”

Meanwhile, Rohit Shetty’s stunt reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi, which is currently being shot in Argentina, will go on air in January, taking over the 9 pm slot from Salman’s show.

This year, Bigg Boss returns with the theme of familial jodis and auditions have been on for the past few months. Work on the Lonavala sets has already begun as well. Salman will be juggling between the shoot of the show and Ali Abbas Zafar’s under-production Bharat.

Actor has enlisted friends to appear on his TV show that made a comeback after nine years but no aam contestants anymore
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2018)

In the wake of the lukewarm response to Dus Ka Dum, Salman Khan’s gameshow that returned to TV after nine years on June 4, the makers have decided to pump new energy into it by way of tweaks. The show has moved from the daily primetime slot to weekends with the new name — Dus Ka Dumdaar Weekend — and will now feature only celebs instead of commoners as participants.

The actor, who had taken a break to perform at his concert tour in the US and Canada, resumed shooting from Monday. A source from the sets reveals, “The first to shoot for the celebrity episodes were Salman’s long time friend, (composer-actor) Himesh Reshammiya and singer Guru Randhawa, who was also a part of his tour. Followed by TV actress and Bigg Boss 11 winner Shilpa Shinde, who was up against Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actor Karan Patel.”

Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan made an appearance on the show recently but left after briefly interacting with Salman. Earlier, celebrities like actor comedian Sunil Grover and singer Neha Kakkar have also made an appearance. Dus Ka Dum first aired in 2008 and was followed by a second season. It’s the Indian version of the popular international reality show, Power of 10, which premiered in the US in 2007 with stand-up comedian Drew Carey as the host.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; July 13, 2018)

In what can well be touted as the meeting of the titans, Kamal Haasan is set to share screen space with Salman Khan for the first time. mid- day has learnt that as part of Vishwaroopam 2 promotions, the South megastar will shoot for a special episode of Dus Ka Dum 3, the reality show that is hosted by Khan.

It is heard that despite having a hectic schedule lined up next week, Haasan made sure that he squeezed a day out to film for Khan’s show. A source reveals, “Haasan is currently juggling his film promotions with the duties of his newly formed political party. However, when the film’s publicity team started toying with the idea of him making an appearance on Dus Ka Dum 3, he immediately agreed.” Haasan will fly down to Mumbai on Monday and head straight to the set. “If time permits, he may head to Salman’s house after the shoot wraps up,” adds the source.

The two have shared a warm rapport over the years. When Vishwaroopam was banned in Tamil Nadu in 2013, Khan had lent his support to Haasan, appealing to his fans to watch the film. He had attended the special screening hosted by Haasan in Mumbai. In the recent past, the South icon credited Khan for inspiring him to host the Tamil version of Bigg Boss.

Haasan's spokesperson confirmed the news of his appearance.

DNA (July 3, 2018)

Over the last few years, Bollywood heavyweights Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan have been showing big-time support for each other. While SRK made an appearance on Bigg Boss to promote Dilwale (2015) and Raees (2017), last year, he was also seen in a cameo in Tubelight (2017). Salman, meanwhile, will feature in a special song in King Khan’s next release, Zero. The track’s teaser was released this Eid as a treat for fans of both the superstars.

However, viewers will get to see them together on the small screen much before the film releases in December. The finale episode of Salman’s Dus Ka Dum will be a dhamakedaar one as it will feature Shah Rukh as the special guest.

Says a source, “While other stars have been approached for a few episodes, the last one has been reserved for SRK. Both the Khans are expected to bring the house down. Their camaraderie is for everyone to see.” The date of the shoot is yet to be finalised as Salman is abroad for a series of stage shows as part of Da-Bangg The Tour: Reloaded.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 30, 2018)

Salman Khan, who has been juggling the shoot of his reality game-show Dus Ka Dum with a dance tour and film commitments, has taken to sharing nuggets from his life within the Khan household and his growing up years.

While shooting for the latest episode of the game show, the 52-year-old actor reminisced about love in the pre social media age and revealed that quite unlike the current generation, that has moved on to instant messaging, he enjoys exchanging good old letters with his loved ones even now.

When the topic inevitably veered towards first love, Salman admitted that he’d found his childhood sweetheart while frantically looking for a washroom.

A source from the sets reveals, “During his school days in Gwalior, Salman and his friends had planned a trip to Dehradun. While roaming around and taking in the sights, the group drank multiple glasses of jaljeera paani, which was soon followed by a desperate hunt for a toilet.” And quite like a Bollywood meet-cute, Salman happened to stumble across one and met a local girl at its entrance. “He returned to Gwalior soon after that, but they kept in touch by writing letters to each other. The correspondence lasted for almost a year. Salman revealed that he put an end to it when he realised that she had brotherly feelings towards him,” the source added.

At another point, Sallu revealed that his father, veteran scriptwriter Salim Khan, calls his mother ‘Oye’ lovingly while she, Salma, addresses him as ‘Miyan’.

“He went on to clarify that he never lets anyone touch his feet because he believes that genuine respect is better than such gestures,” the source informed. Next up, as Dus ka Dum nears its finale, Salman is gearing up to start work on the new season of Bigg Boss.

DNA (June 26, 2018)

The third season of Salman Khan’s Dus Ka Dum has just got shortened. The show, that used to air for one-and-a-half hours, has been reduced to one hour, starting this week. The makers claim that it is part of the overall change in the programming as even their other show, Zindagi Ke Crossroads, has reduced from its one-and-a-half hour’s runtime to an hour. Yeh Pyaar Nahi Toh Kya Hai has been shifted from 11 pm to 9.30 pm as it has picked up some good reviews and they hope it will do well in the new slot, says a source. 

However, the fact is that Dus Ka Dum hadn’t got a great opening and the subsequent weeks, too, did not see it garnering a good rating. “It is hovering in the vicinity of 0.9 to 1.1. The episode, which was a Race 3 special, got 1.1 which was the same as its opening,” says a source. Also, it had got mixed reviews and the main grouse was with the duration of the show which many felt was too long. Our source adds, “The show couldn’t engage for that much time. The makers initially must have thought that with such a big superstar hosting the show, they will be able to outdo shows on other channels. Or it could be that after establishing that slot, they would have wanted to launch another show. However, they haven’t been able to do that, so now they must have decided to shorten the length and make the content crisper.” Let’s see whether this works for the channel’s big-ticket show.

Sunil Grover revisits one of his most popular TV avatars, this time for his soon-to-be co-star’s gameshow
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 20, 2018)

Almost a year after Sunil Grover’s popular character Dr Mashoor Gulati from The Kapil Sharma Show went off the air, the much-loved character is set for a comeback. On Sunday, the actor-comedian shot for a special episode of Salman Khan’s gameshow, Dus Ka Dum, with singer Neha Kakkar as fellow guest.

Speaking about teaming with his Bharat co-star, Sunil told Mirror, “Salman is such a fun-loving guy to work with; he doesn’t make you feel that he’s a star. Usually, there is a lot of pressure to deliver but Salman made it easy for everyone on the sets. I’m looking forward to working with him in Bharat now, we are expected to roll by July end.”

Revisiting the highlights of his turn on the 52-year-old actor-host’s show, Sunil said, “We made a parody of 'Chaand Chhupa Badal Mein' (from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). I would add one line to the song, so would he… it turned out quite beautifully. He was in a fun mood, and I lost track of whether I was winning or losing the game. It was just so much fun.”

And what about getting to play Dr Gulati again? “It was nostalgic because the character has a certain innocence about him. When I was playing him, I’d sometimes find it difficult to believe it was me. It was nice meeting Dr Gulati after such a long gap,” Sunil smiled.

The actor-comedian’s TV stint came to an abrupt halt following a mid-air scuffle with Kapil Sharma in February last year, after which Sunil had staged a walk-out from their show.

Now, with two big films — Bharat and Vishal Bharadwaj’s Chhuriyaan— Sunil said he is looking forward to “better times”. “We are prepping for the last schedule of Vishal ji’s film,” he said.

Anil Kapoor apologised to his mom for not being able to call her once a day
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; June 8, 2018)

Anil Kapoor turned emotional during the shoot of Salman Khan's Dus Ka Dumm when one of Khan's questions on the game show struck a chord with him. Said a source, "As part of Race 3 promotions, Anil and the remaining stars of the film joined Salman for one of the episodes. The tone became emotional when Salman Khan asked the question 'How much percentage of people call their mothers at least once a day?' While Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol and others offered their answers, Anil confessed that he doesn't spend as much time with his mother [Nirmal Kapoor] as he would like to. He apologised to her for not being able to call her once a day."

Confirming the development, Anil Kapoor told mid-day, "Sunita [his wife] pushes me to speak to my mom every day and stay in touch with my friends. I apologized to my mom on national television because you can never show enough love to her."

Superstar Salman Khan gets 5-year jail term; Saif, Tabu, Neelam, Sonali Bendre get ‘benefit of doubt’
MUMBAI MIRROR (April 6, 2018)

The math comes to precisely 5. That’s how many years megastar Salman Khan will have to spend in jail, as per the order of a Jodhpur court. Salman was on Thursday convicted for poaching two black bucks — an endangered species — in October 1998, sentenced to five years of imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000.

The offence, under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, attracts a maximum punishment of six years in jail.

Dressed in a pair of jeans and a navy blue shirt, Salman had arrived in Jodhpur from Mumbai in a chartered plane and had planned his return for the afternoon in the hopes of an acquittal.

After the judgment was pronounced, the 52-year-old actor was immediately whisked away to Jodhpur Central Jail, where he had spent 18 days in total in 1998, 2006 and 2007 — all for cases of poaching. His lawyers said he would have to spend the night in jail as his bail request could be heard only on Friday. As he has been sentenced to more than three years of imprisonment, he would have to appeal in a higher court for bail.

The court acquitted the co-accused in the case — actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre, and a local, Dushyant Singh — owing to lack of evidence and gave them the “benefit of doubt”.

Salman killed the black bucks in Kankani village near Jodhpur on October 1, 1998, during the shoot of film Hum Saath Saath Hain. Black bucks are endangered animals and are included in Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The prosecution’s argument of the star being a habitual offender is said to have weighed heavily against him.
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Death threat from notorious gangster

A life threat to Salman has left the Jodhpur Central Jail’s staff on the edge. Dreaded criminal Lawrence Bishnoi, who is facing trial in over 20 cases of attempt to murder, carjacking, extortion and snatching, and Arms Act, had in January threatened to kill the actor.

“Salman Khan will be killed here, in Jodhpur. Then he will come to know about our (the Bishnoi community that had filed the poaching case against the actor) real identity,” Lawrence told reporters then.

Although Lawrence is lodged in a jail in Ajmer, a number of his accomplices are in the Jodhpur prison, prompting the staff to keep a tight vigil on Salman. — Prakash Bhandari in Jodhpur
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Rs 400 cr riding on Salman

Salman Khan was in Abu Dhabi shooting for Race 3 when he rushed to Mumbai on Wednesday. He boarded a chartered plane to reach Jodhpur.

Bollywood analysts say around Rs 400 crore could be riding on Salman, who has seen phenomenal box office success since the release of Dabangg (2010). Sources said his legal troubles will not really affect Race 3, as some patchwork and dubbing are all that’s left. The movie is slated for an Eid release.

Salman is scheduled to start the shoot of Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat in June. The big budget entertainer is scheduled to be shot in Spain, Poland, Portugal, Malta, Abu Dhabi, besides Punjab and Delhi. Around the same time, Salman is also scheduled to start shooting for the third instalment of home production Dabangg with Sonakshi Sinha. The film will be helmed by Prabhu Deva. There’s also the second instalment of Kick, to be directed by Salman’s closest friend, Sajid Nadiadwala.

The superstar is also bringing back his reality show Dus Ka Dum on television — the Indian version of the American game show Power of 10 — after nine years. —Natasha Coutinho

On the lives of the city’s police force, it is expected to air towards year-end
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 23, 2018)

Last year buzz was Salman Khan will bring the life of one of the greatest wrestlers of all time Ghulam Mohammad Baksh, popularly known as ‘The Great Gama’ or Gama Pahlawan, to the television screen. While there is no update on that except for the fact that his younger brother, actor-producer Sohail Khan, may play the Gama who remained undefeated in a career spanning over 50 years with leading TV stars joining him in the ring, Mirror has learnt that the actor is also in talks to produce a show about the lives of Mumbai’s police force. The protagonist himself is a tough cop. Salman himself has played a cop in Garv: Pride And Honour in 2004 and more recently, was seen in a Robin Hood-like avatar in the popular Dabangg franchise.

A source close to the project informs, “Salman is already on board for season three of Dus Ka Dum which is expected to go on air in June. Talks have been on for a fiction show with Sony for some time now. Casting is expected to begin soon and if everything works out as planned, it will go on air by the year end.”

The game show, Dus Ka Dum, makes a comeback after eight years and the actor shot for promos and teasers before leaving for the Race 3 shoot. “The team has been having long meetings with Salman and working on making the upcoming season more interactive, unlike the previous ones so viewers get to play along with the contestants while watching the episodes,” added the source.

Salman returned to the city on Thursday after a 10 day schedule in Thailand for his action-thriller. Next, the team will be heading to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the first week of March where hi-octane stunts will be canned. The local stunt team has also begun prepping for some dramatic car stunts and trucks being driven off bridges.

Next up, the actor takes off to Nepal for the Da-Bangg The Tour in March with Sonakshi Sinha, Kriti Sanon, Daisy Shah, Prabhudheva and Manish Paul. He will be filming Dabangg 3 and Bharat simultaneously around June.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; February 18, 2018)

Salman Khan, who made his television debut with 10 Ka Dum a decade ago, is returning to host its third season after eight years. The game show is close to his heart as it connects him to the masses and was his first TV outing before he moved on to hosting Bigg Boss. We have learnt from reliable sources that the superstar is apparently getting a staggering Rs 78 crore for hosting 26 episodes, which amounts to Rs 3 crore per episode.

The makers, we hear, are planning two seasons, albeit of a shorter duration. Says a source, “For a long time, Salman was keen on returning to this show. However, the channel wasn’t ready to shell out his asking price. But last year, both parties settled on a fee that they were comfortable with.” Now, they are also in the process of signing him for the fourth season.

The superstar has already shot for 10 Ka Dum’s teaser and promo, before taking off to Bangkok to shoot for Race 3. The teaser will go on air sometime next week, followed by the promo, where Salman will tell viewers how they can be part of the show — either by auditioning or from the confines of their homes. The show will have a second-screen format, which was introduced during Kaun Banega Crorepati last year. The idea is to make it more interactive for the viewers, who can answer questions on their mobile phones at the same time as the contestants.

10 Ka Dum is slated to go on air in June post the IPL. Unlike Bigg Boss, where Salman appeared in the weekend episodes, this will be a weekday prime-time fare. “The makers are still contemplating whether they should air it from Monday to Friday or from Monday to Thursday,” says a source.

Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 9, 2018)

Nine ears after hosting the last season, Salman Khan is ready to bring Dus Ka Dum back to the audience. The superstar will shoot for the promo of the reality game show at Film City today. Having wrapped up the Mumbai schedule of Race 3, Khan had a few days on hand before he resumes the Abu Dhabi schedule of the Remo D’Souza- directed venture. The producers of the show decided to make the most of Khan’s free time and arranged the shoot.

A unit hand tells mid-day, “It’s a fun teaser that will see Salman talking about his return to the show in typical Bhaijaan lingo. He will also call out to the audience for the auditions and inform them of the procedure to participate in the show.”

For the third season, the makers have developed an app through which the common man can participate in the show. With the team currently developing the app, the auditions will begin only next month. Following the screening process, the show will go on floors in May (after Khan would have wrapped up Race 3 and will air in June this year.

The unit hand also reveals that the new season will see certain changes. “While the last two seasons saw several Bollywood stars coming as guests, we won’t have any celebrity guests this year. It will focus only on the aam junta,” says the source. It is already known that the new season will also employ the second screen format, which will allow viewers to answer the questions through the app, at the same time as the contestants.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 17, 2018)

Soon after wrapping up the 11th season of his reality show, Bigg Boss, Salman Khan is gearing up to shoot the audition call promos for the third season of 10 Ka Dum. The 52-year-old actor will be shooting them in February, even though the show only kicks off mid-year.

A source reveals that as per the current plan, 10 Ka Dum will go on air by June. “The idea is to shoot in two separate schedules keeping in mind how busy Salman is. The first schedule is expected to commence in March and the second in June, after the show is launched,” informs the source, adding that like Amitabh Bachchan’s Kaun Banega Crorepati, that ran for one-and-a-half months, this one too will have the same run-time with a half month extension, depending on the viewer response and Salman’s availability.”

An Indianised version of the popular international gameshow, Power of 10, which began in the US in 2007 with stand-up comedian Drew Carey as the host, and took off in India in 2008.

Meanwhile, Salman is currently filming the title track of his upcoming action multi-starrer, Race 3, with co-stars Jacqueline Fernandez, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah and Freddy Daruwala.