‘You Were Scared Of Me Because Of Shah Rukh Khan’: Salman Khan Recalls Bollywood’s Bitter Fallout On Koffee With Karan 9

Salman Khan’s appearance on Koffee With Karan 9 was among the much-awaited episodes of the celebrity chat show. During his appearance on the Karan Johar-hosted show, Salman seemingly alluded to his past rift with Shah Rukh Khan while discussing Karan’s nervousness around him.

As the conversation began, Karan made an honest confession to Salman, saying, “No one gets me more stressed, nervous, and hyper than you. I don't know why, it hasn't changed.”

Responding to Karan’s confession, Salman asked, “Is it because of you or is it because of somebody else?” He then seemingly hinted at his long-standing rift with Shah Rukh, reassuring Karan that things were now fine between them. Salman said, “Right now you should not be stressed because everything is all good. It's been good for the longest time.”

Without explicitly naming anyone, Salman acknowledged that things had not always been this way. He added, “At one point of time, it was not good. So, I could have understood that you were scared of me because of not you, because of Shah Rukh.” Karan laughed off the remark and denied the suggestion.

The rift between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan dates back to July 2008, when the two superstars reportedly had a heated argument at Katrina Kaif’s birthday party in Mumbai. According to media reports at the time, the disagreement stemmed from remarks about their respective television shows, Dus Ka Dum and Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain? The disagreement reportedly escalated after a comment about Salman’s alleged former girlfriend, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Karan Johar, who was present at the party, reportedly left with Shah Rukh and his wife, Gauri Khan, after the argument. However, there is no clear evidence that Karan caused or actively participated in the feud; his association with Shah Rukh meant he was often mentioned in reports about the fallout. The two actors remained estranged for years before sharing a public hug at politician Baba Siddique’s Iftaar party in July 2013, marking a turning point in their relationship.