4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Sep 8, 2025 12:41 PM IST
It’s no mystery that actor Salman Khan and his family had a fallout with director Abhinav Kashyap, who helmed their 2010 blockbuster cop drama Dabangg. Ahead of the film’s 15th anniversary, Kashyap said in an exclusive interview with SCREEN that the Khans have sabotaged the careers of many in the film industry, including him. However, now, Salman seems to have responded to the claims of sabotaging careers on the latest episode of Bigg Boss 19 Weekend Ka Vaar.
Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shehnaaz Gill returned to the sets as she shared the stage with Salman on Sunday. Shehnaaz, a Punjabi actor, was launched in Hindi films by Salman after Bigg Boss 13 with his 2023 action comedy Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan. Shehnaaz thanked him on Bigg Boss 19 and said, “Sir, aapne itnon ke career banaye hai (Sir, you’ve made so many people’s careers).”
Salman modestly replied, “Maine kahan banaye hain kisi ki career. Career banane waala toh upar waala hai (When have I ever made someone’s career? The one who makes careers is God).” Salman seems to have aided the careers of several actors over the years, including Katrina Kaif, Sonakshi Sinha, Zarine Khan, Daisy Shah, Pulkit Samrat, Aayush Sharma, and Sneha Ullal among others.
Then Salman responded to the allegations of sabotaging careers. “Laanchhan bhi daala hai ki kitno ke dubaaye hai. Specially dubaane waale toh mere haath mein hai hi nahi. Lekin aaj kal sab chalta hai na ki career khaa jaayega. Kaunsa career khaaya maine? Par agar khau na toh main apna khud ka career khaa jaunga (An allegation has been levelled against me that I’ve sabotaged so many careers. But that specially is not in my hands. But that’s what works these days that he’s sabotaged careers. Which career have I sabotaged? If I could do that at all, I’d first sabotage my own career),” Salman said.
“Kabhi kabhi main complacent hojaata hun aur fir chodh deta hun aur fir vapas usko aapne grip main laane ki koshish karta hun (Sometimes, I get complacent, but then I leave that alone, and then I try to hold grip of them again),” confessed Salman. The actor’s feud with Vivek Oberoi from the early 2000s is rather well-documented in which the latter allegedly suffered a dent in his career because of Salman.
Abhinav Kashyap also told SCREEN that not only him, but also his brother and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was dropped from Salman’s 2003 romantic drama Tere Naam allegedly after he asked the actor to grow chest hair. The late Satish Kaushik was then roped in by Boney Kapoor to helm the film.
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“He is the father of the star system in Bollywood. He is from a film family which has been in the industry since 50 years. He continues the process. They are vindictive people. They control the whole process. If you don’t agree with them, they come after you,” said Abhinav, adding, “He is not even interested in acting, and he hasn’t been since the last 25 years. He does a favour by turning up to work. He is more into the power of being a celebrity, but he is not interested in acting. He is a gunda (goon).”
After he directed one of Salman’s biggest blockbusters in Dabangg, Abhinav was dropped from the sequel. While producer and Salman’s brother Arbaaz Khan turned director with Dabangg 2 in 2012, Salman’s Wanted director Prabhu Deva helmed the threequel in 2019. Abhinav’s last directorial was the 2013 dud Besharam, starring Ranbir Kapoor.
Salman Khan responds to Dabangg director Abhinav Kashyap's allegations of sabotaging careers.