**Salman Khan Was ‘Insecure’ About Sonu Sood: ‘Dabangg’ Director Abhinav Kashyap Reveals**
*By Apoorva Rastogi | Sep 18, 2025, 05:01 PM*
Abhinav Kashyap, the director behind the blockbuster film *Dabangg*, recently opened up about some interesting behind-the-scenes details regarding the casting of the film. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Thikana, Kashyap revealed that Salman Khan was reportedly insecure about his co-star Sonu Sood during the making of the movie.
### Casting Insights: The Lead Role and Villain Choice
Kashyap shared that Randeep Hooda was originally his first choice for the lead role of Chulbul Pandey, but this suggestion was rejected by Sohail Khan. Sonu Sood, on the other hand, was Kashyap’s own recommendation for the villainous role.
“I thought Sonu looked like a young Amitabh Bachchan,” Kashyap said, explaining his reasoning behind Sood’s casting.
However, according to the director, Salman Khan felt somewhat insecure because Sonu had a strong physique. “He was very insecure because Sonu had a good body,” Kashyap disclosed. It was Katrina Kaif who helped convince Salman to agree to Sood’s casting, as she was close to Salman at the time and endorsed the idea.
### Arbaaz Khan’s Role in the Film
The director also recalled a brief 15-minute pitching session with Arbaaz Khan, who initially expressed interest in playing the lead role of Chulbul Pandey. Kashyap, however, believed Arbaaz was better suited for a supporting role.
Ultimately, Arbaaz agreed to produce *Dabangg* through his banner, Arbaaz Khan Productions, on the condition that he would be involved in the project creatively.
### Other Casting Notes
Kashyap mentioned that casting Sonakshi Sinha was not his original choice. Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction with her performance in the film.
### The Success of the *Dabangg* Franchise
Produced by Arbaaz Khan and Malaika Arora under Arbaaz Khan Productions, along with Dhilin Mehta’s Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision, *Dabangg* introduced audiences to the charismatic character of Chulbul Pandey. The film was a huge commercial success, celebrated for its punchy dialogues, memorable performances, and high-octane action sequences.
The popularity of *Dabangg* led to two successful sequels: *Dabangg 2* (2012), directed by Arbaaz Khan, and *Dabangg 3* (2019), directed by Prabhu Deva, cementing the franchise’s place in Bollywood history.
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