The wheels for Dabangg 3 have been set in motion. Choreographer-filmmaker Prabhu Deva will helm the third film in the franchise in which Salman Khan will return as Chulbul Pandey.
Deccan Chronicle newspaper quoted Arbaaz Khan as saying, “Prabhu Deva is directing Dabangg 3. We did meet last week, but all three of us (Khan brothers) are busy with our own careers. Salman is shooting for Race 3 and will have two films around the same time. We are likely to start shooting in April 2018, and need some time to work on the script, as well as the pre-production of the project.”
Prabhu Deva has earlier directed Salman in Wanted (2009) which was the beginning of the turnaround of Salman's fortunes as the actor then went on to deliver nearly a dozen hits in the subsequent years.
Meanwhile, there were question marks over whether actress Sonakshi Sinha would return to the Dabangg franchise. Those speculations were laid to rest when Sinha confirmed that she would be part of Dabangg 3.
The Times of India quoted Sinha as saying, “The shoot begins probably early next year. They are currently scripting. It is in a very early stage."
The first Dabangg (2010) film was helmed by Abhinav Kashyap, who was picked to direct the sequel two years later, but creative differences with Arbaaz led to Kashyap walking out of the second film. Arbaaz then directed Dabangg 2 himself.