Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt have made a strong impression on 7 Dogs directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who say working with the two Bollywood stars gave them a fresh appreciation for the instinct, charisma and experience Indian actors bring to action cinema. The filmmakers, known for the Bad Boys franchise, have described Salman’s screen presence as a masterclass in stardom and praised Sanjay’s deep understanding of elaborate action films.

Salman and Sanjay have important roles in 7 Dogs, which brings together actors from Indian, Egyptian, Italian and American cinema. The film stars Ahmed Ezz and Karim Abdel Aziz in the lead, alongside Monica Bellucci and Giancarlo Esposito.

Salman Khan’s ‘superstar’ presence impressed 7 Dogs directors

For Adil El Arbi, Salman Khan’s impact was evident as soon as the camera started rolling. Comparing the Bollywood star’s screen presence with that of Will Smith, with whom the directors worked on the Bad Boys franchise, Adil said Salman has the rare ability to transform even a simple scene.

“There’s a lot of charisma. You get the same feeling when Will Smith is on set. It’s like, ‘Oh, that’s what a superstar looks like.’ From the moment you put the camera on him, something magical happens,” El Arbi told PTI in an interview.

According to Adil, the actor could grasp what was required almost instantly before adding his own interpretation.

“He knows right away what the scene is. And he will do it perfectly. And then he will create, he will give you so much more. And that is like going to film school. You’re really witnessing cinema happening before your eyes,” he said.

Bilall Fallah said Salman Khan’s contribution often went beyond what was written in the script. His spontaneous additions, including one-liners, sometimes revealed themselves only when the directors watched the footage later.

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“During editing, when I was looking at the takes, there was always something new that he put in that I didn’t even realise when I was on set. He just makes a scene memorable. Even if it’s just a short moment, he creates something that is pure cinema,” he added.

What Salman Khan plays in 7 Dogs

7 Dogs follows Interpol officer Khalid Al-Azzazi, played by Ahmed Ezz, who captures Ghali Abu Dawood, portrayed by Karim Abdel Aziz. Ghali is a senior figure associated with the criminal syndicate known as 7 Dogs.

The story takes a turn when the syndicate becomes involved in the trafficking of a synthetic drug called Pink Lady. Khalid is then forced to join hands with Ghali to take down the international network, bringing them face-to-face with powerful figures connected to the organisation.

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Salman Khan plays Johar, a former Interpol officer who becomes an unlikely ally to the central duo.

Sanjay Dutt’s experience left a strong impression

The directors were equally impressed by Sanjay Dutt, who plays Ranjeet, the Indian member of the Seven Dogs alliance tasked with distributing Pink Lady in India.

Adil El Arbi said the team recently began watching Dutt’s latest film, the two-part spy thriller Dhurandhar, after seeing the attention surrounding its success.

“We started to watch the ‘Dhurandhar’ series, because everybody’s talking about what a huge success it is,” he said.

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The filmmaker also highlighted the scale and complexity of action filmmaking in Bollywood, saying Sanjay Dutt’s long experience in the genre was evident.

“He’s (Sanjay) so experienced. And the action movies are so complex in Bollywood, and so elaborate, even more than Hollywood,” he said.

Bilall Fallah recalled developing a close friendship with the actor during his time in Mumbai and praised his warmth, creativity and willingness to introduce him to the city.

“He’s just like a brother. When I was in Mumbai with him, I just fell in love. He showed and took me to the authentic places, and I just fell in love. And I just want to keep on going back to India and just keep on making movies. And hopefully we can create a movie or series together. Sanjay is just unbelievably creative and is a real artist,” Bilall added.

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‘Movie with Will Smith and Shah Rukh Khan’

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s first exposure to an Indian film was Shah Rukh Khan’s My Name Is Khan, which made a particularly strong impression on them because of its treatment of identity and Islamophobia following the September 11 attacks.

For the filmmakers, who are Moroccan Muslims living and working in Europe, the story carried a personal resonance.

“It was such an important movie, it was after 9-11. For us, being Moroccans, being Muslim in Europe, that story really resonated with us a lot,” Adil said.

The directors also have their sights set on another major Bollywood collaboration. Asked about Shah Rukh Khan, Bilall said,”It would be great to work with him. It would be awesome to make a movie with Will Smith and SRK,” Bilall said.

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7 Dogs will release in Indian theatres in Hindi and English on August 21.