Salman Khan, who is one of the most famous Bollywood movie stars known worldwide, had been sentenced to a five-year jail term yesterday after he was found guilty over his fatal 2002 drunk-driving hit-and-run-case. With the sentence, it is unknown if we will still be able to see the 49-year-old in movies in the next five years or even after he is out of prison. But luckily, Khan still has two upcoming films; "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo", which is at 90 percent completion and are supposed to be released within this year. Although the fate of those two movies is uncertain, the directors may tweak the movie so that his absence might not be obvious or wait another five years until he is released for reshoots and for promotional purposes. While we wait and since we won't be seeing the award-winning actor for quite some time, let's take a look back at some of his fondest box office hit films.
"Maine Pyar Kiya" is the debut film of Khan as a lead actor for which he won the Filmfare Award for the Best Male Debut. The film became one of the biggest hit of the year and was the second biggest hit of the decade, with a total collection of USD2.5 million. The film is also considered as one of the top 10 successful films in India. "Maine Pyar Kiya" is a sweet romantic film about two friends; Prem and Suman, who gradually fall in love with each other.
"Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" is the first Bollywood film to gross over USD21 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing Bollywood film of all time (at that time). The film won five Filmfare Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actress, as well as the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. The film is a remake of 1982's "Nadiya Ke Paar", which tells the story of a married couple and the relationship between their families.
From the year 2000 to 2008, Khan suffered a decline in his acting career where many of his films under performed. But the year 2009 was a big turning point for Khan as the film "Wanted", a remake of a Telugu film "Pokiri", became the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of the year. Khan was even nominated for Best Actor at 2010 IIFA Awards.
"Dabangg" is a film that revolves around a cop named Chulbul Pandey. It received generally positive reviews and successfully broke several box-office records upon release. The film set another box office record when it grossed over USD 12.7 million in its first week, thus becoming the highest opening week grossing Bollywood film in India. The film is the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2010 and the fourth highest–grossing Bollywood film of all time in India.
"Ek Tha Tiger" is Khan first venture with Yash Raj Films, and thanks to Khan, it was one of the most successful films that Yash Raj Films had ever released. Though the film received mixed reviews from the critics, it was sixth highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. The plot of the film centers on an Indian spy (RAW) code-named Tiger, who falls in love with a Pakistani spy (ISI) during an investigation.
Like its predecessor, "Dabangg 2" was also a box-office success as it easily broke the three-day record set by Khan's other film "Ek Tha Tiger". The film becomes the tenth highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in India and worldwide, which grossed USD40 million globally.