From Wanting Kids To Calling SRK His Brother: Salman’s Biggest ‘Koffee With Karan 9’ Moments
Salman Khan opened up about fatherhood, praised Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, and reunited with Karisma Kapoor on ‘Koffee With Karan 9’.
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Some celebrity conversations are remembered for a confession. Others give us a comeback, an unexpected reunion or a story that makes an old blockbuster even more entertaining. Put Salman Khan on Karan Johar’s couch, though, and the conversation can travel from wanting children to a supposedly haunted bedroom before anyone has finished their coffee. After a previous season that opened with Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh in October 2023, ‘Koffee With Karan’ returned on October 14, 2026, with Salman as the first guest of its ninth and final season.
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Streaming on JioHotstar, the premiere marked his third appearance on the show, following outings in Seasons 4 and 5. With Karan preparing to bid farewell to the long-running series, there was plenty of looking back, but Salman also had things to say about the life he wants ahead.
From personal boundaries and fatherhood to generous praise for fellow actors, here are the moments that made this cup of Koffee worth talking about:
1. The Real Meaning Behind That Famous Personal-Life Remark
Salman finally explained the intention behind his old claim about saving himself for marriage. The answer, he said, had been a way of shutting down questions about his relationships. “That was a way of saying, Karan, that I don’t want to talk about it,” he explained. He also pointed out why naming a partner publicly can become complicated when the relationship ends and that person moves on.
He connected that approach to advice from his father, screenwriter Salim Khan: treat private life like a bedroom and the public sphere like a living room. What belongs in one need not be brought into the other. It gave an exchange that has followed Salman for years a more thoughtful context: he wanted to draw a boundary.
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2. Being Unmarried Is His Choice, And He Is Happy With It
The inevitable marriage conversation arrived, but Salman had little interest in presenting himself as someone waiting to be rescued from bachelorhood. He acknowledged that remaining unmarried was his own decision and said he was content with it. When Karan spoke about missing a partner, Salman pointed to the companionship of the filmmaker’s mother and children. His view was that being unmarried does not automatically mean having nobody in your life. He also refused to blame circumstances or other people for his own choices.
3. Fatherhood Is Still Very Much On His Wish List
Contentment with his current life did not mean Salman Khan had closed the door on becoming a parent. Asked about having children, the Bollywood actor said, “Of course I will have children at some point in time.” He also recalled being happy when Karan Johar became a father. It was one of the premiere’s warmer revelations, especially alongside his answer that family was what he considered his own.
4. Even His Bedroom Came With An Unexpected Story
A conversation about Karan Johar visiting Salman Khan’s home for a film narration took a spooky turn. Salman claimed he had sometimes sensed an unseen presence in his bedroom, describing cupboards opening and lights coming on. He recounted feeling something behind him when music played, before giving the story a cheeky twist: he would only welcome an appearance if the presence happened to be a beautiful woman.
5. His Problem With Paparazzi? Intrusion And Inappropriate Angles
Salman drew a distinction between celebrities who arrange publicity sightings and those who do not want to be photographed that way. His criticism focused particularly on camera angles that make actresses uncomfortable. He spoke about the rise of paid visibility, including airport appearances, while stressing that his objections concerned people subjected to unwanted attention. The conversation also touched on intrusive rear-angle videos and the familiar “Guess who?” treatment. Having previously raised the issue on ‘Bigg Boss’, Salman made his position clear again: choosing publicity does not describe every actor’s experience of being followed by cameras.
6. Behind The Shirtless Moment: Injuries, Fitness And Trolling
Salman’s viral shirtless ‘Bigg Boss 20’ appearance led to a more revealing discussion about the effort behind his physique. He spoke about hard work, sacrifices and changing his habits, while acknowledging a period when injuries had affected how he looked. Among the difficulties he mentioned were head and shoulder injuries, hernia-related trouble, knee and back problems, trigeminal neuralgia and an aneurysm. He linked physical setbacks to his work on ‘Sultan’, while insisting that he did not want to use his health problems as an excuse for letting his fitness slip. His comments also reflected the pressure he places on himself as someone whose screen image inspires fans to exercise.
7. Sanjay Dutt, Bobby Deol And Varun Dhawan Added Some Warmth
The episode also featured recorded messages from Sanjay Dutt, Bobby Deol and Varun Dhawan, whose recollections highlighted Salman’s friendships and generosity. Sanjay Dutt brought his own brand of humour, asking for a little Salman to arrive. Bobby’s message carried a more emotional note as he remembered Dharmendra’s affection for Salman, saying his father had loved him like a son. Between the teasing and the tributes, the segment gave the conversation a sense of the relationships that have lasted beyond film sets and release weekends.
The rapid-fire round brought a change of host: Karisma Kapoor arrived later in the episode to question both Salman and Karan. With the filmmaker competing for the hamper too, Salman suddenly had company in the hot seat.
8. Ranbir vs Ranveer? Salman Appreciated What Made Both Performances Work
Asked to choose between Ranbir Kapoor in ‘Animal’ and Ranveer Singh in ‘Dhurandhar’, Salman resisted turning two different performances into a contest. He praised both actors, speaking about their contrasting energy, intensity and acting styles.
He went into greater detail about Ranveer, observing that ‘Dhurandhar’ required him to contain his usually expansive energy. Salman admired the confidence involved in that restraint: an actor accustomed to a larger-than-life presence had trusted a more controlled approach without appearing insecure.
His appreciation extended to senior colleagues too. Salman Khan admired Akshay Kumar’s focus on work, avoidance of gossip and growth as a performer. Ajay Devgn earned praise for his intensity and his ability to handle comedy with the same assuredness, with Karan citing ‘Drishyam’ and ‘Golmaal’ as examples. For once, the rapid-fire produced considerably more appreciation than rivalry.
9. Shah Rukh And Aamir Khan Received The Same Affectionate Description
Asked to describe Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, Salman chose the same word for both: “Brother”. The warmth was especially noticeable because he had earlier teased Karan about whether the filmmaker’s nervousness around him dated back to his old differences with SRK. Salman indicated that things between them had been good for a long time.
He was generous about Shah Rukh’s physique as well, complimenting how he currently looked without a shirt. It was an affectionate answer from someone who knows a thing or two about making a shirtless appearance an event.
10. ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’ Still Has His Heart, And Panvel Is His Adventure
When the conversation turned to the film he was proudest of, Salman chose ‘Maine Pyar Kiya’. The 1989 romance also became his answer when he was asked to pick a film title for his love life. Rather than accept the options offered to him, he supplied his own. It was an economical answer, but one with plenty of history attached to it.
His choice for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure was even shorter: “I’d go to Panvel”. No elaborate itinerary required. After all the big questions about stardom and relationships, that tiny answer delivered a welcome laugh.
11. A Salman Khan Biopic? He Has No Plans To Allow It
Asked which filmmaker should direct a film about his life, Salman briefly entertained different possibilities: David Dhawan for comedy, Sanjay Leela Bhansali for a tragic romance, Sooraj Barjatya for love stories and Kabir Khan for an action-driven version.
Then came the catch. “My biopic will never be made. My life will go to my grave,” he said. It was a neat reminder that being one of the country’s most discussed stars does not mean he wants every chapter adapted for the screen. He could imagine the genres; he was not offering the rights.
12. Karisma’s Arrival Brought Out Their Old Ease, And A Chocolate Connection
Karisma’s appearance was a later surprise, rather than a joint interview from the beginning. Alongside her rapid-fire duties, she brought memories from a friendship stretching back decades. She recalled first meeting Salman at Saroj Khan’s dance class, where he recognised her as Randhir Kapoor’s daughter, appreciated her hard work and gave her a chocolate bar. Apparently, the sweet tooth was shared: she also remembered him carrying chocolates around Switzerland and eating them for breakfast.
Their banter became even more playful when Salman jokingly described their bond as his longest-running affair, prompting an amused reaction from Karisma. With films such as ‘Judwaa’, ‘Biwi No. 1’ and ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ behind them, they had more than enough shared history to keep the conversation moving.
13. ‘Biwi No. 1’ Prank That Left Karisma In Tears
Karisma recalled a prank during the filming of ‘Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge’ in Switzerland, when ‘Biwi No. 1’ had just opened in cinemas. According to her account, Salman solemnly told her that the newly released film had failed to get an opening. She believed him and began crying. Salman kept the act going, with director David Dhawan and writer Rumi Jaffery joining in, before finally revealing that the film got a blockbuster opening and he had been pulling her leg.
For Karisma, that was quite a dramatic way to receive a box-office update. Salman, meanwhile, had apparently recruited a director and a writer to make his performance that much more convincing.
14. A Costume Disagreement On ‘Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge’
The pair also revisited a costume from ‘Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge’ (2000). Karisma remembered Salman being uncomfortable with her blue outfit. Salman recalled repeatedly asking her to pull it down as it moved during the dance shoot. Karisma revealed, “During Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, the iconic outfit, I was very excited about my fashion, and I thought I was going to kill it, and he's like, 'What are you wearing? I will not give a shot with you looking like this.'”
Karisma then revealed that she had to go and complain to David Dhawan that Salman was not letting her wear the outfit. Their David Dhawan comedy supplied another story that clearly remained vivid years later.
15. From ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ Gratitude To A Very Blunt Film Review
Karan and Salman also revisited ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, with the filmmaker remembering how Salman agreed to the supporting role after others had declined it. According to Karan, Salman said yes before hearing the complete narration and did not charge a fee for the appearance. The memories extended to their families: Salman recalled Yash Johar travelling to Mauritius to help secure filming permissions for ‘Hello Brother’.
The goodwill did not mean Salman approved of every Karan film. During his own rapid-fire, Karan chose ‘Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna’ as a film he would like to remake, then remembered Salman giving him a dressing-down over it in a hotel lobby. Salman’s remembered verdict was blunt: “Don’t make that film”. Clearly, decades of friendship leave room for a strongly worded review.
Karan also supplied a wish for the future: asked what he would do if he woke up as Shah Rukh Khan, he said he would call Karan Johar to direct a film starring SRK and Salman together. Karisma ultimately awarded Salman the hamper – a fitting finish to an evening of old friendships, candid answers and stories that still had the power to surprise.
