The biggest draw at the box office, 52-year-old Salman Khan has a consistent strike rate. So much so that even his flops draw more than Rs 100 crore at ticket windows across the nation. No wonder then that his conviction and sentence has cast a pall of gloom over the film trade circuit. Given that his last release, Tiger Zinda Hai, raked in Rs 339 crore at India box office, there is tremendous anticipation around his next, Race 3, which releases this Eid (June 15). Industry sources peg a figure of Rs 500 crore riding on Salman, of which Rs 200 crore is for Race 3 alone, which he is also producing.

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The actor also has lined up the third season of his television show Dus Ka Dum, for which he is reportedly getting Rs 78 crore for 26 episodes. Schedules for Bharat, Dabangg 3 and Kick 2 are lined up in the coming months.

Veteran distributor and trade analyst Amod Mehra explains, "Shooting for Race 3 is nearly complete. If he goes to jail, Dus Ka Dum suffers, causing a loss of at least Rs 25 crore. While Bharat, Dabangg 3 and Kick 2 have been announced, they are yet to begin. However, the rights for Bharat have been acquired, so anything between Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore is riding on that. Salman is an ambassador for several brands, has many careers dependent on him and his foundation, Being Human, is also worth quite a lot. So there is a lot at stake here."

getting bail from the higher court, Mehra added, "Salman's legal wrangles will hang over his head like the proverbial sword of Damocles or an albatross around his neck. He has done tremendous amount of good work and helped the poor, and should not be crucified. At the same time, this case is also an eye-opener that celebrities should not take the law for granted. Ultimately, we have to live within the laws of the land."

Source: DNA Money