Salman Khan is known for his desire to be a writer, and he penned the story for the 2010 film ‘Veer‘. Despite the film’s lavish production and a talented cast, it ended up being a considerable disappointment both critically and commercially. Years later, director Anil Sharma, recognised for his work on films like ‘Gadar’, offered insights into the reasons for the film’s poor box office performance.
In an appearance in The Lallantop, Anil revealed that Salman invested significant effort into the film Veer, but the climax, which showcased a conflict between father and son, ultimately failed to resonate with audiences, leading to the film’s overall poor performance. He mentioned that this climax was part of the original script, stating, “Woh baap aur bete kyu lad rahe hai, mujhe hamesha se hi lagta tha, woh Salman sahab ka apna subject tha kahani thi woh chahte father and son lade.”
In the same interview, Anil recounted a conversation with Salman’s father, Salim Khan, who shared the belief that a conflict between father and son was not suitable for the film. Despite referencing the Ramayana to justify the climax, Sharma struggled to convince himself of its logic, which ultimately reflected in the film’s box office performance.
Sharma expressed that ‘Veer’ would have performed better without the chosen ending, stating, “Last ke 15-20 minute picture ke bohot khich gaye the, woh hi ek reason ban gaya,” indicating that the final stretch of the film felt unnecessarily prolonged and contributed to its average box office results.
‘Veer’ featured Salman Khan as Veer Pratap Singh and Mithun Chakraborty as his father, Prithvi Singh. Jackie Shroff played the antagonist, King Gyanendra Singh, while Zareen Khan made her Bollywood debut as Princess Yashodhara. Sohail Khan appeared in a supporting role as Veer’s brother, Punya. The film, directed by Anil Sharma, revolves around themes of love and revenge set against the backdrop of the British Raj in 19th-century India.
