Salman Khan reveals about the reasons behind his recent film setbacks and credits Tiger 3’s success to strategic choices.

Salman Khan in a still from Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan

Tiger 3 has been a huge financial triumph for Salman Khan. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Antim, the superstar’s most recent films, both underperformed at the box office. Salman recently addressed the media in a roundtable discussion, explaining why the two films failed to match Tiger 3’s financial success.

Salman Khan addresses box office performance and pricing strategies

He stated, ‘At that point in time, nobody was going to the theatres. When the film came in at that point in time, we didn’t do blockbuster pricing; we did popular pricing, and there is a massive difference between the two. Blockbuster prices are way higher than popular prices. On one hand, you try to do good, and it affects your own numbers (at the box office), but it saves the money of the audience. Tiger 3 had blockbuster pricing. We did not have that kind of pricing. We had Rs 250 as ticket prices. It is because people like you do not appreciate what we do, so we will show our big figures now.’

Salman acknowledges that the release dates for Antim and Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan were poor choices, but he also blames the timing. A lot more people would have shown up if Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan had come out today. The PVR guys told the superstar that people were not attending theatres. He also noted that attendance was down 25–30% at the theatres and even lower at the mall.

Salman Khan’s perspective on stardom and the term ‘Superstar’

He, too, has stated that he is not a ‘superstar’ to himself. Salman elaborated, saying that whoever has a superstar in his thoughts is a superstar, not in his head, and it doesn’t matter to him. He finds it flattering when the general public refers to him as a ‘superstar,’ but it’s not his preference. His walk may reveal this confidence, and some may even label it as arrogant. However, Salman is content with his gait and sees no reason to alter it. The way he walks could lead some to question his self-esteem. He doesn’t know why people think he should be a superstar. Salman added, ‘There are many people, including DOPs and scriptwriters, who helped transform this average Bandra boy into the one you see on screen.’

Maneesh Sharma directs Tiger 3, also starring Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi in the lead roles. The film has crossed the Rs. 400 crore mark at the global box office.