“Bhai Bhai” is a Viral Sensation. Has the Lockdown Made Salman Khan More Productive? An Investigation

The Covid-19-induced lockdown has left many of us with extra hours at our disposal, allowing our hidden talents to surface on social media for the rest of the world to see. This sudden spark of creativity has spared no one – not even Salman Khan, who is having an exceptionally prolific period.

Since setting up his YouTube channel in April, Bhai has channelised all his unexpected lockdown energy in creating small-screen content as he quarantines in his Panvel farmhouse. His latest offering is the brand new song titled “Bhai Bhai”, filmed on the grounds of his farmhouse yet again.

Maine aap subb ke liye kuch banaya hai, dekh ke batana kaisa laga… Aap subb ko eid mubarakh … #BhaiBhaihttps://t.co/6giZeG0IhG@SajidMusicKhan @wajidkhan7 @RuhaanArshad @adityadevmusic @danishsabri12 @NiketanMadhok #SaajanSingh @TaaleemMusic

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) May 25, 2020

Each year, Eid is synonymous with biryani and crores at the box office with a Salman Khan release. The box office may not have earned a penny this season, but Bhai has ensured that his fans got their Eidi without fail. Touching upon the message of brotherhood, the peppy song highlights that despite our religious differences we all continue to be one: “Ramzan mein hai Ram, Diwali mein hai Ali/Message yahi pahunchana hai humko gali gali.”

The song was received with much fanfare, also managing to bag a YouTube milestone as it became the fastest Indian song featuring a Bollywood actor to hit one million likes.

RECORD ALERT !!!!#BhaiBhai Becomes the FASTEST Indian Song ft. A Bollywood Star to Hit 1M Likes in just 12 hrs 46 Mins..
It is also the FASTEST to 100K to 1M Likes…
It also gets 4.7M Views(Stucked) and 65K+ Comments…

SALMAN KHAN RULES#BhaiBhaiHits1MLikes pic.twitter.com/MkWn6tj96N

— BEING ADHARV SALMANIAC (@iBeingAdharv) May 26, 2020

Earlier this month, the actor had shared the video “Lockdown Conversations” with Waluscha De Sousa, on his YouTube and Instagram accounts. The actor and “singer” had then admitted that he had a couple of songs that wouldn’t quite fit into his films.

The revelation came only two weeks after Khan released his “debut” music video, “Pyaar Karona”. The black and white minimalistic video is dubbed by the actor as “an anthem sung […] for the fight against the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.” Without the usual glamour of his movies, the actor, like the rest of us, seems to be making the best of his resources.

He has been unstoppable since.

While the rest of us and celebrities alike whipped Dalgona coffee and put out fitness routines, the actor who usually releases one or two Bollywood movies a year and proceeds to stay off the scene until next time, tapped into his musical range. Featuring his Kick co-star Jacqueline Fernandes, Khan delivered a romantic number in his second song, “Tere Bina”.

Maine yeh gaana banaya, gaya, shoot kiya aur post kiya aap ke liye, ab aap bhi yeh gaana suno, gaao, aur aap ke swag mai shoot karo ghar pe, post karo, share karo, tag karo n enjoy karo…#TereBinahttps://t.co/YtqtBX1wIS

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) May 12, 2020

By this point one thought remains clear, hand a man an unwavering internet connection and autotune technology during the lockdown, and he will give people a reason or two not to be bored to death.

Love u sir….Its a nice song..

Visuals n the concept 👌

Aur is look aap toh…Mashallah , what looks…No words🔥 #TereBina

— WE LOVE U SK :)) (@notorious_heart) May 12, 2020

At the time of writing this, “Bhai Bhai” had already moved up to #3 on YouTube trends, a clear indication that Bhai’s lockdown endeavour had not failed him. With close to 10 million views, the message of unity put forth by “Bhai Bhai” has been embraced with much cheer as people lauded him for “using this lockdown tremendously.”

Bhaijaan ne to khud ki voice khud ko bideo me cast kiya hai
Aag laga di bhaijaan ne #BhaiBhaiHitsFastest1MLikes

— 🏃CHARLIE 🏃 °Vineet° (@Charlie_Shahid) May 26, 2020

Besides celebrating Eid with a song on oneness, Khan also launched a grooming brand to draw attention to personal hygiene. Initially conceived as a deodorant and personal grooming brand, FRSH hand sanitizers is the first offering from Khan’s stable.

View this post on Instagram

Launching my new grooming and personal care brand FRSH !! @frshgrooming Yeh kya hai? Kiska hai? Kiske liye hai? Aur yeh kab aur kahaan milega? Yeh aapka aur mera, yani ke hamara brand hai! Bohot kuch layega aap tak. Filhal Sanitizers laraha hai. Aap ke liye hai, taaki aap safe aur saaf raho, yeh milega apko pehle FRSH ki website aur phir har jagah Link bio me hai Try karo @frshgrooming ko follow karo #RahoFrshRahoSafe

A post shared by Salman Khan (@beingsalmankhan) on May 24, 2020 at 7:48am PDT

With that, the actor has managed to even generate a demand for disinfectant sprays. Truly #RahoFrshRahoSafe.

In the past, Khan has always been regular with his Eid supersize releases. This year too, his movie Radhe was slated for the auspicious festival before it got shelved due to the pandemic. But armed with his understanding of the ever-changing market and acres of land, Khan has challenged the notion of what could be declared a pandemic.

The lockdown has reiterated that in all of time and space, even a pandemic, just like the goons in the movies, can’t hold down a superstar.