Ashneer Grover Takes a Dig at Salman Khan Over Bigg Boss 19 Hosting

Ashneer Grover and Salman Khan have never really seen eye to eye, and it seems the friction between them has found a new chapter. While Salman is busy hosting Bigg Boss 19 , Grover has stepped into the reality TV space with his own show, Rise and Fall. And during its promotions, the former Shark Tank India judge made remarks that clearly seemed like a swipe at the Bollywood superstar.

Without naming Salman, Grover stressed that reality shows should be about the contestants, not the host. “Reality shows have to be about contestants. Fortunately, or unfortunately, in India we have had a very big show which has had a very big superstar. And therefore, it’s become more about him than the contestants right. But the fact is, who is putting in the hours? Bhai aap to ek weekend mein aa rahe ho. Jo 24 ghante lage hain woh to contestant lage hue hain,” he told News18 Showsha.

“The balance of power has to go back to contestants and the content that come out of contestants. Rather than it being hijacked by someone you know who comes over weekend," he further added.

The Backstory of Their Cold Equation

The tension between Grover and Salman goes back a few years. Grover once recalled an unpleasant encounter during a brand shoot, where Salman’s manager allegedly told him that the actor wouldn’t pose for a photo with him. ““Salman Khan se mila hoon. Usko humne sponsor rakha tha, toh uske shoot ke liye mila tha. Shoot se pehle mila tha usko brief karne ke liye ki company kya hai. Toh teen ghante baitha tha uske saath, uske manager ne bol diya ki photo nahi khichwani hai, sir thoda bura maan jaate hain. Maine kaha saale, maine bola, nahi khichwaunga photo, bhaad main ja tu. Matlab aisi kaunsi heropanti ho gayi (I met Salman when I briefed him for a sponsored ad shoot. I sat with him for three hours and then his manager told me that Salman would not take a photo with me. I told him I won’t take a picture, you go to hell),” Grover had said in an interview.

The matter escalated in 2024 when Grover appeared on Bigg Boss 18 as a guest. Salman confronted him on stage, accusing him of misrepresenting facts about their earlier meeting.

“Meeting was not held with you but with your team. Maybe you were also present there. We have not had any discussions. I saw what you said. You presented that we befooled you. This is wrong. Those numbers were wrong," Salman said.

The superstar reminded Grover to be careful with his words, which led to Grover offering an apology and clarifying that he meant no disrespect.

A Clash of Personalities

While Salman Khan continues to rule the TRPs with his larger-than-life hosting style, Grover’s Rise and Fall positions itself as a show centered purely on contestants. Whether this indirect dig sparks another round of drama between the two remains to be seen, but one thing is clear this cold war isn’t cooling off anytime soon.