**Salman Khan Was ‘Insecure’ About Sonu Sood: ‘Dabangg’ Director Abhinav Kashyap Opens Up**
*By Apoorva Rastogi | Sep 18, 2025, 05:01 PM*
Abhinav Kashyap, the director behind the blockbuster film *Dabangg*, recently revealed some intriguing behind-the-scenes details about the making of the film and the casting dynamics involving Salman Khan and Sonu Sood.
### Salman’s Insecurity About Sonu Sood
In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Thikana, Kashyap disclosed that Salman Khan felt insecure about his co-star Sonu Sood. “For the villain, I wanted someone who looked stronger than Salman. I knew Sonu had a good physique. But Salman wasn’t very keen. He was very insecure because Sonu had a good body,” Kashyap shared.
Kashyap also credited Katrina Kaif for helping convince Salman to accept Sonu Sood’s casting. “Katrina was around Salman a lot in those days, and she endorsed the idea of Sonu being cast,” he added.
### Casting Insights and Choices
Interestingly, Abhinav Kashyap revealed that his first choice for the lead role was actually Randeep Hooda, but this was rejected by Sohail Khan. Sonu Sood came into the project on Kashyap’s suggestion, who felt, “He looked like a young Amitabh Bachchan.”
Regarding other casting decisions, Kashyap recalled a brief 15-minute pitching session with Arbaaz Khan, who expressed interest in playing the iconic character Chulbul Pandey. However, Kashyap believed Arbaaz was better suited for a supporting role. Eventually, Arbaaz agreed to produce the film, provided he would be involved in it.
On the female lead, Kashyap revealed that casting Sonakshi Sinha was not his initial choice, but he expressed satisfaction with her performance in the film.
### The Success of *Dabangg* and Its Legacy
Backed by Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora under Arbaaz Khan Productions, along with Dhilin Mehta’s Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision, *Dabangg* introduced audiences to the legendary character Chulbul Pandey. The film became a massive commercial success, widely praised for its memorable dialogues, powerful performances, and thrilling action sequences.
The popularity of *Dabangg* led to two sequels: *Dabangg 2* (2012), directed by Arbaaz Khan, and *Dabangg 3* (2019), directed by Prabhu Deva, further cementing the franchise’s place in Bollywood history.
—
*Stay tuned for more exclusive Bollywood stories and insights.*
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/entertainment/dabangg-director-claims-salman-khan-felt-insecure-about-sonu-sood/story