The Dabangg franchise is one of the most successful projects starring Salman Khan in recent times. The movie franchise has led to an animated series that is streaming now on Disney+ Hotstar VIP. An adaptation and reimagination of the hit Bollywood films, the action-comedy series chronicles the day-to-day life of the eccentric cop Chulbul Pandey. His younger brother Makkhi (played by Arbaaz Khan in the film), and Sonakshi Sinha’s character of Rajjo too get their animated versions in the series.
Talking about the popularity of Chulbul Pandey as an actor, Salman says, “Chulbul Pandey is a very special character for me, the kind of love viewers have showered on it has made it larger than life and no less than a superhero. It doesn’t make me feel like a superhero but it surely makes the character one and it’s exciting that families will get to watch him now on a streaming platform.”
The actor hopes the good qualities of his cop character rubs off on young viewers. “Chulbul has a unique personality which sticks with the audience and the fact that he can be relatable makes him more appealing. He is also raw and relatable because he is a common man doing extraordinary things – something I hope the kids will pick up too, inspire others to keep doing their absolute best and make wonders happen,” adds Salman.
He is glad to be able to be part of a series that kids and their parents can watch together, and hopes for more of his roles to get animated avatars, too. “I am now looking forward to kids getting to see Chulbul Pandey in an animated avatar – this will set precedence for so much more. The opportunity to play a character that kids and families can watch together is absolutely fascinating and I’m glad I get to experiment with something like this – Chulbul is going to win hearts. So much to look forward too but in good time!”
Films are often made on cartoons and animated characters, but the other way round is rare in Bollywood. Dabangg, which released in 2010, became a massive hit, spawning a three-film franchise based on the character, and now this animated series.
Arbaaz Khan, who is also one of the producers of the film franchise, says, “The plan always was to make sure we create a film and a character that people fall in love with. What we were encouraged by was the massive response we received on the first film, thereby driving us to create more stories. With the animated series, I am really happy that Chulbul Pandey gets a new avatar and many more adventures that families and their kids can watch together.”
While Salman has his own fan following, they are hoping to attract a younger audience with the animated series. Arbaaz explains, “Kids are the toughest crowd to please; and for me, it’s a mark of success that children are excited about watching Dabangg in an animated format. It feels spectacular to be part of the animation club. We wanted to make Chulbul Pandey a household favourite and when the character received more love from children and youngsters, the first set of focus audience are kids and young adults. Given that Chulbul Pandey is such a popular character, we are hoping to attract audiences across age groups.”
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