Ex-contestant Sofia Hayat resurfaces a decade-old grievance against Salman Khan just hours after his viral shirtless stand against body-shaming trolls on Bigg Boss 20.
Sofia Hayat, a former contestant on Bigg Boss 7, publicly accused Bollywood superstar Salman Khan of hypocrisy on 19-20 September 2026, alleging he criticised her body and face on national television years ago even as he now positions himself as a crusader against body-shaming. The accusation followed a viral clip from a Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 20, in which the 60-year-old host stripped off his shirt on air and dared online trolls to criticise his own physique, condemning the culture of mocking celebrities for weight gain or loss.
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The Viral Trigger: Salman's Shirtless Stand Against Trolls
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The controversy began when footage from Bigg Boss 20 started circulating widely online, showing Salman Khan responding forcefully to sustained trolling of actors over their changing bodies. According to Mashable India and other outlets, the segment was widely understood to be a response to the online abuse directed at actress Katrina Kaif, who has faced criticism for weight gain following the birth of her son, Vihaan. In the clip, Salman removed his shirt and invited critics to target him instead, framing body-shaming commentary as unfair and damaging to those in the public eye.
The moment quickly went viral across social media platforms, drawing both praise and scrutiny. Mashable India reported that "his fans are busy lauding him for taking a stand," reflecting a section of the audience that viewed the gesture as a genuine, protective statement on behalf of actors like Kaif who face relentless online scrutiny over their appearance.
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Sofia Hayat's Counterpunch on X
Within hours of the clip spreading, Sofia Hayat reposted the video on X and issued a scathing rebuttal. "SALMAN is an hypocritical idiot. When I was in Bigg Boss he criticised my body and face..and told Gauhar (Khan) her body was good. Argh," she wrote, in a post that was subsequently picked up and reproduced by the Times of India, NDTV, Hindustan Times, ABP Live, Telegraph India, News18 and the Free Press Journal, among others.
Hayat's post directly linked her personal experience on Bigg Boss 7, which aired in 2013, to Salman's present-day rhetoric, alleging a clear contradiction between his past conduct as host and his current condemnation of body-shaming. She specifically claimed that during her season, Salman contrasted her unfavourably with fellow contestant Gauahar Khan, allegedly telling Gauahar, "Come on, Gauhar, your body is good, I am comparing you with her (Sofia)." This particular line, cited across multiple reports, is presented as Hayat's recollection rather than an independently verified transcript from the original broadcast.
An Expanding Critique: Comparisons to Amitabh Bachchan
Hayat did not stop at calling Salman hypocritical. In a follow-up comment reported by Hindustan Times, she broadened her criticism by comparing him unfavourably to veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, suggesting Salman has "not evolved" the way Bachchan has over the years. The remark implies that, in Hayat's view, Salman continues to operate with outdated attitudes toward contestants' appearances despite his public messaging against trolling.
This escalation signals that Hayat's grievance is not limited to a single alleged incident from 2013 but reflects a broader, sustained critique of Salman Khan's conduct as a long-time Bigg Boss host. Reports note that Hayat has a history of raising issues around sexism and body-shaming in the entertainment industry on social media, positioning this latest post as part of a recurring pattern rather than an isolated reaction.
Silence From Salman Khan and the Bigg Boss Camp
As of the latest available reporting, there has been no direct response from Salman Khan or his representatives addressing Hayat's specific allegations. The only public remarks attributed to him in this cycle remain those delivered on air during the Bigg Boss 20 segment, which spoke broadly about body-shaming culture without referencing Hayat or the Bigg Boss 7 season by name.
Gauahar Khan, the contestant Hayat says was favourably compared to her, has also not issued any public comment in connection with the resurfaced claim. No archived footage or transcript from Bigg Boss 7 has been independently surfaced in current coverage to corroborate the exact wording Hayat attributes to Salman, leaving the specific historical claim in the category of personal recollection rather than confirmed record.
What the Controversy Signals for Reality TV Culture
The clash underscores persistent tension in Indian television between on-air personalities who shape public discourse around appearance and the lasting impact of remarks made years earlier, particularly when reinterpreted through today's more heightened sensitivity to body-shaming. Hayat's allegation, regardless of its ultimate verifiability, has reignited scrutiny of how hosts like Salman Khan interact with contestants regarding physical appearance during high-pressure reality formats.
No legal action, regulatory complaint, or formal grievance has been reported in connection with Hayat's claims, and the dispute remains confined to social media and entertainment journalism. Future developments will likely hinge on whether Salman Khan or the Bigg Boss production issues any response, whether Gauahar Khan or other former contestants weigh in, and whether older footage from Bigg Boss 7 resurfaces to either substantiate or complicate Hayat's account.
