Indisciplined Heroes
Director A.R. Murugadoss’ blunt words have not just put Salman in the spotlight — they’ve also reopened an old wound in Bollywood: Unchecked power of superstars, and the price everyone else pays for it
Director A.R. Murugadoss has stirred up a storm by speaking openly about Salman Khan’s behavior on the sets of Sikandar. His allegations — of the superstar arriving hours late and keeping child actors awake till 2 a.m. — have reignited the long-simmering debate on Bollywood’s culture of superstar indiscipline.
A filmmaker, who has previously worked with Salman, corroborates Murugadoss’ charges. “He’s right. Salman Khan never arrives on set before 2–3 p.m. for a morning shift. Then it’s lunch, a nap, and shooting rarely begins before 5 p.m. Most directors find it impossible to work with him. But producers like Sajid Nadiadwala let him have his way, so Salman has never been forced to change his habits.”
This is not new. In 2019, Sanjay Leela Bhansali abruptly shelved Inshallah, a film with Salman, citing the actor’s interference and indiscipline. Bhansali, who gave Salman two of his most memorable roles in Khamoshi and Hum… Dil De Chuke Sanam, vowed never to collaborate with him again. Even when Salman proposed a mega project in 2022, casting both himself and Shah Rukh Khan under Bhansali’s direction, the filmmaker reportedly responded: “Shah Rukh, yes. Salman, never.”
Salman not the only one
But Salman is hardly the first superstar accused of tardiness. In earlier decades, Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar, and Shatrughan Sinha were infamous for keeping colleagues waiting. Actress Sharmila Tagore, who worked with all three, recalls: “If I was shooting with Kaka (Rajesh Khanna), Haribhai (Sanjeev Kumar), or Shatru, I made sure to reach the set only after lunch. Initially it was annoying, but after repeated experiences, I simply adjusted to their timing eccentricities.”
Shatrughan Sinha, however, offers a defence: “I had an acute low-blood pressure problem that required yoga every morning, combined with late nights. But once I arrived on set, I never left until I finished my work. Haven’t my heroines vouched for this? The great Dilip Kumar saab once taught me a lesson on Kranti. I strolled in on my usual ‘SST’ (Shatru Standard Time), only to see him waving goodbye as he drove off. That moment changed me.”
The punctual ones
The contrast is stark when compared to punctual stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Aamir Khan, who are admired for their discipline. Actress Hema Malini — arguably the only female superstar who commanded as much power as her male contemporaries — says she never tolerated delays. “With me, even the notorious latecomers showed up on time. On the first day of a shoot, when an actor arrived three hours late, I told him I was going home. I warned him that if he wasn’t punctual the next day, I’d opt out. He was on time thereafter.”
For Hema, the problem lies not just with the stars but with those around them. “If directors and co-stars make it clear that delays are unacceptable, the stars would stop. But too often, people let it pass.”
A filmmaker who earlier worked with Salman
In 2019, Sanjay Leela Bhansali abruptly shelved Inshallah, a film with Salman, citing the actor’s and indiscipline. Bhansali, who gave Salman two of his most memorable roles in Khamoshi and Hum… Dil De Chuke Sanam, vowed never to collaborate with him again.
In earlier decades, Rajesh Khanna, Sanjeev Kumar, and Shatrughan Sinha were infamous for keeping colleagues waiting. Actress Sharmila Tagore recalls: “If I was shooting with Kaka (Rajesh Khanna), Haribhai (Sanjeev Kumar), or Shatru, I made sure to reach the set only after lunch. After repeated experiences, I simply adjusted to their timing eccentricities.”