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After 13 years of court arguments and presenting evidence, Bollywood actor Salman Khan was found guilty of culpable homicide in the 2002 hit-and-run case by a Mumbai sessions court and has been sentenced to five years in jail. While his lawyers rally to appeal in the High Court against the sentence, the industry is preparing itself for the consequences of this judgement.
Khan is slated to star in not one, but two festival releases this year. His first release – Bajrangi Bhaijaan is set to release on Eid, while Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo is to release on Diwali. Both the films are currently under production, with the former having 10% shoot left, and the latter almost 25%. Considering he has been taken into custody immediately, there are chances of this affecting the completion of the projects.
Bajrangi Bhaijan, which also features Kareena Kapoor Khan and Nawazzundin Siddiqui, is the first film under the actor's own production banner Salman Khan Films. Since Khan is the producer on the movie, he stands to lose money on his banner's maiden project. Film studio Eros International is the distributor partner on the project.
"The risk is more to Salman's banner and his investors than Eros in this case. Usually, in these deals, the distribution partner comes in the picture once the film is made and is ready to be marketed and distributed. Bajrangi Bhaijan is in the third schedule of its shoot, so currently Eros has little to lose. Had this happened after the film was made, it might have affected the film's promotions and hence box office performance, but no one can say for sure," says an industry source.
His second project this year, Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo, too may be affected. The film marks the return of Khan to the Rajshri banner, with which he has delivered hits like Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun! and Hum Saath Saath Hain.
Directed by Sooraj Barjatiya, the film's distribution partner is Vijay Singh-led Fox Star Studios. Here too, the risk exposure of Barjatya (who owns and runs Rajshri) is greater than that of the partner studio.
"While they might not pay Khan till the movie is released or at least finishes shooting, they have already spent on the pre-production and if Khan has to be in jail, then there is a chance that the investment till now gets stuck," adds a trade analyst. Both the movies have been mounted at a scale of Rs 100-115 crore each.
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Brand managers say that the brand Salman Khan has built for himself will take a massive hit. While none of his current brands, which include Tiger Biscuits, Suzuki Hayate, Relaxo Hawaii, Revital, Thums Up, Wheel, Dixcy Scott, yatra.com and Astral Pipes were available for comment, the consensus among the brand managers is that no brand would want a convicted person as the face of the brand.
“There are companies like coca Cola, which are taking a socially relevant and active brand image. For them, no matter his popularity among the masses, he does not make a good brand fit,” says one such brand manager.
