6 years of Salman Khan’s Dabangg: Things you may not know about the film

He's always been the macho man, but in Wanted (2009), one saw a different side to Salman Khan. Wanted was just a glimpse of what was to follow. In 2010, Khan played a cop again, one with more swagger, humour and a lot more entertaining. As Chulbul Pandey, Salman found a character that could turn iconic. And so it did, as Abhinav Kashyap's directorial debut Dabangg became a blockbuster.

As the film completes six year today (10th September), we take a look back at intriguing facts about the film. 

1. Salman was not Kashyap's first choice for Chulbul Pandey

Abhinav Kashyap was keen on following in the footsteps of brother and acclaimed filmmaker Anurag. So, Dabangg was supposed to be a dark film with no songs or humour. Buzz had it that Abhinav was keen on roping in Randeep Hooda for the role. When Abhinav approached Salman's brother Arbaaz to produce the film, Arbaaz liked the script and upped the budget. On came Salman who made changes to the script, introduced songs and added punchlines of his own. Wonder what the film would be without Salman. 

2. Much ado over a moustache

Until Dabangg, Salman had not sported a moustache on the big screen. Salman was a bit hesitant and tried nearly 50 styles before shooting for the film began. One day he tried three different moustaches, and set them aside. Eventually he tried a fourth one, and asked Sonakshi Sinha if he looked like her father Shatrughan Sinha. When she said 'yes', the moustache clicked and thus began the filming. 

3. Conceiving the one liners

Salman not only made changes to the script, but also introduced few one-liners of his own. Arbaaz made this disclosure on Karan Johar's television show Koffee With Karan recently. Arbaaz revealed that Salman came up with one-liners like: 'Hum tumpar itne chedd karenge, ki confuge ho jaoge ke saans kaha se le aur..paade kahan se, Kamaal kar diya Pandey ji'.

4. The Chulbul dance

Having watched Chulbul Pandey’s electrifying dance moves, it was evident that they could not be choreographed. It was a wedding in Jaipur that introduced Salman to these crazy steps. A real cop could barely have dance moves like that of Michael Jackson. At the wedding in Jaipur, Salman picked up the dance moves from a guest who was dancing in a comical manner. Brothers Sajid and Wajid were also present at the wedding when Salman started emulating them. Later on, Salman saw one 80-year-old Bharat Mama (uncle) who showed the dance step with his belt. Salman immediately told the man that he was going to use it, while Bharat Mama joked that he would sue him. The rest, as they say, is history. 

5. Discovering Sonakshi Sinha and throwing her straight into the ocean

Salman is known for picking talent from nowhere. He had spotted Sonakshi Sinha dancing at a function and thought of having her play Rajjo in Dabangg. Sonakshi was taken aback, but she could never refuse such an offer. However, she had to lose over 30s kgs to get into shape and skin of her character.

6. Munni Badnaam inspired by Bhojpuri track

If there is something called fine item numbers, 'Munni Badnaam Hui' would be one of them. Penned by Lalit Pandit, 'Munni Badnaam Hui' was inspired by the Bhojpuri folk song ‘Launda Badnaam Hua Naseeban Tere Liye'. The song has been recycled many times in Bhojpuri cinema. Bappi Lahiri had created his own version in the 1995 film Rock Dancer, too. In 1993, Pakistan, too had  such a song of its own with noted comedian Umer Sharif producing and directing the song in a Qawwali style, titled 'Larka Badnaam Hua' in his film Mr Charlie. With due respect to the Bhojpuri or the Pakistani version, 'Munni Badnaam Hui' is the best among the lot.