Salman Khan is the most bankable star in the history of Hindi cinema

Salman Khan is the most bankable star in the history of Hindi cinema
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In short: With a career spanning over three decades and more than 80 films, Salman Khan has redefined commercial success in India. He holds the record for headlining the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year on ten separate occasions, cementing his status as an unparalleled force in the global entertainment industry.

Born in 1965 to screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife, Sushila Charak, Salman Khan was raised in a household that embraced both Muslim and Hindu faiths. His journey into stardom began with a supporting role in 1988, followed by a breakout performance in the 1989 romantic drama Maine Pyar Kiya. Despite a career marked by significant commercial highs, he has also navigated periods of critical and financial slump, most notably during the 2000s before his 2009 resurgence with the action film Wanted.

The period between 2010 and 2017 is widely regarded as the pinnacle of his influence, characterized by a streak of box office dominance where every lead role he played grossed over ₹100 crore domestically. His films, often released during the Eid festival, became cultural events that shattered opening-day records. This era included massive hits like Dabangg, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, and Bajrangi Bhaijaan, the latter of which became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of its time.

Beyond the screen, Khan is a prominent television personality, having hosted the reality show Bigg Boss since 2010. His public life has frequently intersected with controversy, including legal challenges related to a 2015 culpable homicide case and a 2018 blackbuck poaching conviction. Despite these off-screen complexities, his influence remains immense, bolstered by his philanthropic work through the Being Human Foundation and his production houses, which support both commercial cinema and charitable causes.

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