Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan: Inside the fallout that changed Bollywood and the reunion that ended it 
Celebs

The birthday night Bollywood’s biggest bromance fell apart and how they became friends again

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan's reported clash at Katrina Kaif's birthday party in 2008 became one of Bollywood's most talked-about controversies

DEBOLINA ROY

It is one of the biggest love-hate affairs in Bollywood. The story of Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan began as that of friends who had gone from thick to thin. But their falling out, culminating in a public spat at Katrina Kaif’s birthday party in 2008, was considered to have split the entire film industry for years.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan: From a reported on-set dispute to Bollywood’s biggest fallout

The roots of this Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan rift can be traced back to 2002, when the movie Chalte Chalte was being filmed. According to reports, Salman Khan entered the sets of the film and created a lot of trouble. News reports state that he continued to be unruly for almost 4 and a half hours and also reportedly harassed Aishwarya Rai, who was first selected as the lead actress.

In the growing tension, Shah Rukh was allegedly forced to intervene and help restore peace. It was reported that Salman lost his temper and grabbed Shah Rukh by his collar. Director Aziz Mirza had to call off the filming for the day. At this stage, both Salman and Aishwarya Rai were going through their breakup. However, after this particular occurrence, she was replaced by Rani Mukerji. It was alleged that Aishwarya called Shah Rukh and apologised for everything that had happened.

The 2008 birthday party that changed everything

The strained relationship between the two celebrities had, after years, reached its peak. Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were under one roof during the birthday party of Katrina Kaif. At that point, Salman was already dating Katrina Kaif. After entering the party, the two celebrities eyed each other coldly throughout the night before coming face to face.

Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan rivalry

Reportedly, Salman started ridiculing Shah Rukh regarding the poor performance of his TV show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?. He reportedly compared it to the popularity of his own game show, Dus Ka Dum.

A heated exchange reportedly turned physical

The verbal exchange between Salman and Shah Rukh has been reported to have quickly escalated when Shah Rukh made a sarcastic remark about Aishwarya, Salman’s ex-girlfriend. Based on reports, Gauri Khan stepped in to pull Shah Rukh from the situation.

Salman Khan in a cameo role in SRK's movie Zero

Aamir Khan too, who was present there at the time, made an attempt to stop the fight. But his efforts went in vain. Even the film industry was split into two sides, with some actors supporting Salman Khan while the directors stood up for Shah Rukh Khan.

The famous hug that ended the feud

After the party, Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan kept their distance from each other for many years. They were rarely seen together and never talked to each other in public. Finally, the breakthrough moment came in 2013 at the Iftar party organised by Baba Siddique. In front of cameras, Salman Khan hugged Shah Rukh Khan at the party.

From then on, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan slowly worked on mending their relationship and even started to interact openly in public. They have even done cameos in each other's movies. Salman Khan even made cameos in SRK's movies like Zero and Pathaan. They were also seen hosting shows and making fun of this feud.

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