‘Dabangg 3’ trailer: Chulbul’s past and present in focus

Dabangg 3’s trailer has been released, followed by the expected. The film has been trending on Twitter. Gut-busting memes are being unleashed. Salman Khan fans are having a blast. Helmed by Prabhudeva, the third installment of the Dabangg franchise will hit the marquee on December 20. That day is not far away, although many filmgoers would have been ecstatic had the film released during Diwali.

But no, Bhaijaan will make them wait while the trailer of the much-awaited action-comedy continues to be widely watched on the Internet.

The first part’s (Dabangg) plot was set in the fictitious town of Laalgunj in Uttar Pradesh; the second story (Dabangg 2) unfolded in Kanpur, while the third one (Dabangg 3) is set somewhere in Madhya Pradesh. Exactly where in Madhya Pradesh has not been revealed, which won't make a difference anyway.

Pramod Khanna will be seen as Prajapati Pandey, Chulbul Pandey’s stepfather played by the late Vinod Khanna in the first two films. The actor’s choice has made many filmgoers curious, and understandably so since he happens to be Vinod Khanna’s brother in real life.

The trailer is a delightful appetizer for Salman Khan fans. It is an indication that Dabangg 3 is peppered with catchy one-liners, one of the USPs of the first two films. When Chulbul declares, “Marenge bhhi hum, bachayenge bhhi hum,” (I am the one who will beat up, and I am the one who will save), the line makes the viewer smile.

In another sequence, Chulbul tells the villain Balli Singh that he is disappointed not because he had entered his house but since he had entered his house when he wasn’t at home. Those lines seem to suggest that Chulbul hasn’t changed much, which is what his fans would love to see.

Sonu Sood had played Chedi Singh, the antagonist in Dabangg. Prakash Raj was Thakur Bachcha Singh, the villain of the piece in Dabangg 2. Kichha Sudeep, the Kannada actor, will be seen as Balli Singh, the main villain in the upcoming release. Sudeep seems to have a meaty role, a refreshing change after the first two films in which the one-dimensional antagonists had made very little impact.

We knew before the trailer’s release that several actors are reprising their roles, which includes Salman, Arbaaz, Sonakshi Sinha, Mahi Gill and Tinnu Anand. Now, we can be sure that Saiee Manjrekar, Mahesh Manjrekar’s 21-year-old daughter, has a substantial role in the film.

Saiee plays Khushi, a young Chulbul’s love interest when the film shows the past. Balli plays the intruder and brings about an end to their romance. Was Khushi murdered? That is a possibility.

The newest installment of the series will take us back to Chulbul’s days as a young man who hadn’t become a cop yet. It will also show him as a battle-scarred policeman, who will take on Balli Singh with whom he has a score to settle.

Dabangg 3 appears to have a better story compared to those of the first two films. Chulbul will dominate yet again, but his detailed backstory will help us understand him better.