"Thappad se darr nahi lagta Sahab, pyaar se lagta hai," and with that, Sonakshi Sinha became an overnight sensation upon her Big Bollywood debut in Dabangg.
It's been 15 years since the dialogue became a pop-culture reference back when virality did not come in the form of Instagram reels.
For someone who had no intimation of the career that awaited her in the glitzy world of Hindi cinema, Sonakshi Sinha's convincing screen presence was at that time much critiqued as she bagged every award for the debutant of 2010.
Dabangg was a crime caper which revolved around Chulbul Pandey, an Uttar Pradesh cop who addressed himself as Robin Hood Pandey. From high-voltage fights to always finding himself in the centre of relentless mayhem, Chulbul Pandey was no ordinary police officer. And then comes Rajjo (Sonakshi Sinha) - a demure yet headstrong village belle who eventually becomes the protagonist's wife.
Sonakshi has often reiterated that it was like throwing herself into the deepest end of the pool; she just found herself on the Dabangg sets, and the rest is history.
She smiles, "I knew I belonged here as soon as I stepped on set."
The actress is in no mood to be reminded that it's been 15 years, as she chuckles, "People need to stop reminding me."
On Dabangg's milestone anniversary, Sonakshi Sinha talks to NDTV about her first shot for the film, Salman Khan, who, beyond her first co-star, is today a dear friend and a solid confidante, and the biggest revelation, the love of her life - Zaheer Iqbal has not watched Dabangg!
"Shame On You": Sonakshi Sinha Jokes As Zaheer Iqbal Confesses He Hasn't Seen Dabangg
There are many Bollywood power couples out there who are shipped by their fandoms, but there's just something disarmingly relatable when it comes to Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal's love story.
Zaheer is the biggest prankster who keeps Sonakshi always on edge. Even in the middle of the interaction, Sonakshi can't help but laugh out loud as Zaheer says that he's still not watched Dabangg.
Sonakshi shares, "Zaheer, at that point when we met, he had not actually seen Dabangg. One second. Zaheer, have you watched Dabangg? You've still not seen it? He's still not seen it. Shame on you. He's saying Dabangg is the only Salman Khan film he has not watched, but he attended the premiere."
Instagram/Sonakshi Sinha
Zaheer, at his humorous best, calms her down and says that he is going to watch it now.
First Shot For Dabangg, The Most Intense To Begin With
As a newcomer, all the firsts of their debut film hold a special place in her heart. As it did for Sonakshi. While most will hope for an easy start to melt into the process, Sonakshi had to begin with an intense crying sequence straight up.
She shares, "Oh God, my first scene was actually a very intense crying scene where my brother's in the hospital bed, almost dying, and I walked into the room and I saw him and I broke down. I joked and was like You didn't have anything else that you all could have made me start with."
She makes the most hilarious revelation that while the audience was enamoured by her eyes and she was being flooded with compliments, she had a stye that no one knew of.
She exclaims, "Can you imagine the first song of my life, which is literally based on my eyes and then I get this one stye popping up. So if you see all my shots when I come out of the curtain and all, they're all sideways. So it's all strategically done to hide it so you can't see it."
A scene from Dabangg
Sonakshi On Salman Khan And Arbaaz Khan Casting Her: "I Asked What Do You See In Me Right Now?"
Sonakshi is not one to mince words; she recalls her amazement when Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan approached her for Dabangg.
Pursuing an education in Fashion, Sonakshi was averse to the world of cinema. Neither was she inclined, nor were there any timelines as to when it could happen, hailing from a film family.
Sonakshi recalls, "My first reaction was, are you guys crazy? Like, what are you thinking? I had that comfort with them because our families have known each other. And so I was very blunt about it. I asked, What do you see in me right now? I told them I have no interest in being a part of your movie. But they said that the character requires somebody who looks exactly like you. We want an Indian face. We want an Indian beauty. And now that you've lost all the weight, you're just perfect for the role. So they didn't even ask me. I actually had no say."
Some Call It A Dream Debut, Some Call It Destiny
A glimpse through some of Sonakshi Sinha's initial interactions, there's a gleam in her eyes and a kind of reassuring assertiveness that makes you pause for a bit. The 38-year-old nonchalantly says that at that time, it was about giving her absolute best.
She says, "It was a new territory, a new zone for me that I was getting into, even though I was born into a film family, I wasn't very inclined towards the movies or towards acting. But I think in terms of my personality and how I am as a person, I'm a very responsible person, and I knew at that point as well that this is a very big responsibility on me. Somebody showed that trust in me and has taken me, and I'm a part of a huge project, and it's upon me to do my best. With that, it was like the camera was a gun to your head; now you'd better perform and perform well. Honestly, like when I went on set, I felt like this is home, it's familiar, I like it, I'm enjoying it."
A still in Dabangg
And 15 years later, here she is.
Sonakshi Sinha On Salman Khan: "He Has Got A Tough Exterior He Likes To Show To The World"
To his loyal fans, Salman Khan is one version of himself, but to his co-stars and close friends in the fraternity, he's a child at heart, as Sonakshi speaks out of experience.
The actress adds, "He's got a very tough exterior, which he likes to show to the world, but only his near and dear ones know how childlike he can be, in terms of emotions, attitude and his fun-loving nature."
She chimes in, "Not everybody gets to see that."
A scene in Dabangg
Sonakshi Sinha On Parents' Reactions After Signing The Film And Screening
While Sonakshi was in two minds about her foray into films, her parents, who were both actors, were her sounding board that gave her the assurance she sought. Like every parent, were they a bit more concerned than usual? Sonakshi says, on the contrary, her mother was ecstatic!
She reminisces, "My mother dreamed that her daughter would become an actress. She was an actor as well, and she did very few films. She let it go when she got married, or probably a little bit before that even. So she wasn't able to really live out her career in a way that she would have wanted to. So I feel it was always her unfulfilled dream, and she kind of saw it through me. So she was thrilled that her daughter was becoming an actor."
A pic on X
As for the first screening at a time when social media was yet to be the go-to platform for a deluge of unsolicited reviews, Sonakshi Sinha's memories about her first premiere and her parents being by her side hold a special place in her heart.
She shares, "I think I saw my dad tear up a little when he was watching the film. And I could see, I could really see the pride in their eyes; it was a big moment for the entire family. Till then, he had only seen himself on screen, right? And now to see his daughter carry on his legacy, that made him feel very proud. I remember that moment."
She honestly remarks that nothing compares to Dabangg, none of its sequels, as for Dabangg 4? That's a question to be reserved for Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan.
As for Sonakshi, she shall always be the Dabangg girl, then, 15 years later and so on.