'Dabangg 3' releases this week in the UAE: 7 things to know

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will channel his innate style and swagger into his role as supercop Chulbul Pandey in ‘Dabangg 3’. It’s an action adventure spearheaded by a cheeky cop with a conscience. He is the kind of cop who can rattle off bombastic dialouges and beat up baddies in the same breath. The new film is modelled after Bollywood ‘masala’ films - movies that are spiced with larger-than-life heroes and songs - gears up for release this weekend, on December 19.

India may not have an iconic superhero to save the world, but we have police officer Chulbul Pandey who makes his own rules along the way. The cheeky corrupt cop, played amiably and impeccably by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, was first introduced to us in 2010 in Dabangg, directed by Abhinav Kashyap. Its stupendous success spawned a hit franchise that’s critic and flop-proof. While Khan as cop Pandey remains a constant in the much-anticipated Dabbang series, its directors have changed and exchanged captaincy batons with each instalment. While the second instalment was directed by Salman’s brother Arbaaz Khan, the third instalment is directed by top choreographer and director Prabhu Deva. In a behind-the-scenes video, director Deva describes his actor as a man who can instantly tranform himself

Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha made her Bollywood breakthrough as Chulbul Pandey’s wife Rajjo with 'Dabangg' in 2010. She can be easily credited as Khan’s discovery. “He has the power to make everything look larger-than-life. He’s so impactful and powerful on screen. It is a pleasure to work with him again,” said Sinha during in a behind-the-scenes video. In an interview with PTI, a news agency, Sinha claims her learning process with Khan hasn’t stopped. “I can’t believe that it has already been 9 years and I’m here with another Dabangg, which would be my 25th film. It’s crazy the kind of work I’ve done and have learned so much over the years … It has been a fantastic journey. I wouldn’t change a thing about it,” said Sinha.

Sinha, whose credits include 'Lootera' and 'Mission Mangal', describes Khan as a superlative human being who doesn’t let his superstardom get to his head. “If he had let it go to his head, he wouldn’t have made a career like the one he has. He works with the same gusto he did twenty-five years back. These are the things you’ve to learn and follow if you want to have a career as long as him. He never fails to surprise you. He only competes with himself. He wants to do better than what he did yesterday. What he manages to do all the time, so amazingly, it’s something to be inspired by,” added Sinha in the same interview to PTI.

Khan who’s known to introduce newcomers in his films has now taken it upon himself to launch award-winning actor Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter Saiee Manjrekar in 'Dabbang 3'. According to reports, Khan and his team felt that Saiee would be a perfect fit for the role that they had in mind. “Salman sir has been the most instrumental for me to be here. He has been so accommodating. He made me feel so comfortable,” said Saiee about her mentor.

'Dabangg 3' is a prequel to how Chulbul Pandey came to be. It will take you back in time into Pandey’s past and what he was like before he became a firebrand cop. The 'Dabangg' series are invariably set in Uttar Pradesh and Chulbul Pandey is shown as this fearless cop who takes on baddies and is good-natured by heart. But he is also corrupt. He’s like the modern day Robin Hood who steals from the rich to feed the poor. In an interview with an English daily Mumbai Mirror, Khan claims that he stops being Salman Khan the moment he walks into the set of 'Dabangg'. “That’s how it is with the whole cast. We have become a family now,” said Khan, who has also written the character of Chulbul in the third instalment.

Dubai-based designer Michael Cinco has designed a jacket for Salman Khan in 'Dabangg 3'. “It took me a month to finish the stained glass-inspired hand painted jacket with laser cut ceramics and crystal ... the hand painting itself took 10 days to finish,” said Cinco in an interview with Gulf News tabloid!. Khan will be seen sporting Cinco’s creation in the song called ‘Munna Badnaam Hua’ featuring Khan and Warina Hussain, who made her debut with Ayush Sharma’s romance ‘Loveyatri’.