The old rivalry between Salman Khan and director Abhinav Kashyap has resurfaced with a new series of comments from both parties. Abhinav, whose claim to fame is working on the 2010 blockbuster Dabangg, took another scathing jibe at the Bollywood mega star, dubbing him a “criminal” in an interview recently.
Talking to Bollywood Thikana, 51-year-old director Abhinav bashed Salman’s new movie Battle of Galwan, in which the actor will essay the role of a soldier. Abhinav bluntly stated, “A criminal like him will play a soldier?” pointing towards the numerous legal cases Salman has been facing all these years. He also added that it is not Salman who gets most hurt by his words but his fans.
Kashyap then went on to claim that Salman’s real problem with him stems from the fact that he could never be “bought.” He stated, “That’s what bothers him. His money is useless here. I’m not for sale,” making it clear that he sees his criticism as a matter of principle rather than personal vendetta. “I speak only from truth, not hate,” he added.
Salman didn’t stay absolutely silent in response. On Weekend Ka Vaar of Bigg Boss 19, the actor seemed to make a veiled but sharp comment about Abhinav without naming him. “There’s one more Dabangg guy who’s taking jibes at me and Aamir Khan as well. I just want to ask, you got any work, brother?” he smiled, eliciting laughter from viewers.
Salman subsequently went on to suggest that Abhinav had ruined his own career by always berating everyone else in the industry instead of attending to his art. “Attend to your family,” he counseled, implying that bitterness will get you nowhere. He finished up on a religious note: “You want to bring me on my knees, but I do that every day for God.”
This conflict is not new. The conflict between Salman Khan and Abhinav Kashyap started in 2010, when Abhinav accused Salman and his brothers, Arbaaz and Sohail Khan, of hijacking Dabangg and pushing him out of his own project. Ever since, Kashyap has incessantly accused the Khan family of attempting to destroy his career and of employing their clout to stifle his prospects in the industry.
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With this recent trade, it’s evident the controversy between the director and the star is still far from over, again dragging their buried feud to the forefront.
