Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap has doubled down on his explosive interview in which he openly criticized Bollywood superstar Salman Khan for what he describes as “bad faith working practices” and repeated unwarranted behavior. In a recent conversation with our senior journalist, Kashyap clarified his words and dismissed attempts to turn his statements into a communal controversy.
“I said, Jihadi mentality, this is what I said, and now everyone is trying hard to make it a Hindu-Muslim issue. The issue is between me and Salman Khan, and he is like that. Now I do not care about media and what they have to say. Everyone is trying to gain something out of it, whether they are concerned or not. I do not hate Muslims, the issue is with Salman Khan, and he is using every tactic to shut me down, which will not happen. My earlier interview, those people are also getting bullied and pressurized into taking the video down. This is something which will not deter me,” Kashyap told us, leaving no doubt that he stands firmly by his words.
In a tone that mixes defiance with calculated anger, he added, “I said what I had to say, I don’t care anymore. Now the ball is in Salman Khan’s court. He needs to save his own behind. He is running up and down, trying to bully me. I said what I said, and I meant it.”
Kashyap also expressed frustration over media distortions and selective reporting. “I have just given one interview, and now everyone is cutting the video, making reels out of it, without full context or right intention. People are trying to drag my differences with my brother, Anurag Kashyap. Now the video is in public domain, I cannot just quote or say random stuff. I have to take care of my own security because I know what kind of people I am dealing with,” he explained, highlighting the pressure and risks involved in speaking truth to power in Bollywood.
The filmmaker did not hold back in leveling serious allegations against Khan, describing him as a “gunda” (goon), “badtameez” (ill-mannered), and a “ganda insaan” (bad person), in his earlier interview which went viral. He accused Khan of being more invested in celebrity clout than acting craft and of leveraging influence to undermine those who disagree with him. Kashyap also claimed he was unfairly sidelined from marketing and credit for Dabangg, and pushed out of its sequel Dabangg 2, pointing to vindictive behavior by Khan and his family toward dissenters.
In an another interview with a leading portal, he alleged that Khan felt insecure about co-star Sonu Sood’s physique during Dabangg, and even overruled casting choices such as initially proposing Randeep Hooda—a move that Kashyap says demonstrates the superstar’s controlling approach on and off set.
Kashyap’s words are unflinching, unapologetic, and piercingly candid—a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the often-glossed-over dynamics of Bollywood stardom. Whether one agrees with him or not, Kashyap has clearly declared: he will not back down, he will not be silenced, and he will not allow his statements to be twisted into something they are not.
“I said what I said, and I meant every word of it,” Kashyap reiterated, leaving Salman Khan and his camp squarely in the spotlight to respond—or face scrutiny over years of alleged behavior.
In an industry where power and celebrity often shield misdeeds, Kashyap’s fiery revelations are unlikely to go unnoticed—and may very well spark a broader conversation about accountability in Bollywood.