Rajpal Yadav grateful as Salman Khan supports him amid cheque case: ‘Love you, bhai’

Actor Rajpal Yadav has expressed his gratitude to Salman Khan after the latter publicly defended him on social media. Salman had reacted strongly to a joke made about Yadav at a recent awards show, which drew criticism online. The remark, reportedly made by senior journalist Saurabh Dwivedi, was seen as mocking Yadav’s ongoing cheque bounce case.

Coming out in support of Yadav, Salman praised his long-standing contribution to cinema and said he would continue to get steady work and opportunities. Following this, Rajpal Yadav responded to Salman’s message with a note of thanks.

Reacting to the post, Yadav wrote, “@BeingSalmanKhan Bhai, mere 30 saal ke safar ko sarahne ke liye bahut-bahut shukriya. Aap hamesha ek bade bhai ki tarah raasta dikhate aaye hain. Love you, Bhai, Naman! (Bhai, thank you so much for appreciating my 30-year journey. You have always guided me like a big brother. Love you, Bhai. Regards!),”

What did Salman Khan say?

Salman had encouraged Yadav to stay focused on his work. Praising him, he wrote on X, “Rajpal bhai aap 30 yrs se kaam kar rahe ho aur hum sabne aapko repeat kiya hai baar baar kyunki aap apna kaam jante ho aur ek value laate ho, kaam toh aapko bohot milega aur issi dollar rate pe milega aur milte rahega. Hakikat yeh hai. (Rajpal brother, you’ve been working for 30 years, and all of us have watched you again and again because you truly know your craft and bring real value. You will continue to get plenty of work—and at the same dollar rate—and it will keep coming. That’s the reality.)”

“Aur yeh yaad rakhna ke kabhi kabhi flow mai kuch nikal aata hai, dena hi hai toh dimag mai rakho dil se kaam karo, dollar upar ho ya neeche kya farak padta hai dena toh India mai hi hai @rajpalofficial (And remember, sometimes things get said in the flow. If you want to give something, keep it in your mind but work from the heart. Whether the dollar goes up or down, what difference does it make? Ultimately, what you give is here in India itself),” he added.

What was the controversy?

The controversy stemmed from the award show's live conversation. Rajpal Yadav, who was in the audience, talked about the uncertain times across the globe and fluctuating currencies. He said, "I was thinking that these days the world seems to be filled with smoke everywhere. There are so many wars going on, so I keep wondering where to sit and where to think. The rupee and the dollar keep fluctuating so much that it becomes difficult to understand anything. So I just sit quietly and keep saying ‘peace, peace.’”

Instantly, the journalist in question, who was on stage, joked, "Rajpal bhai, no matter how much the dollar and rupee fluctuate, aapko utne hi paise lautane padenge jitne udhaar hain (You will still have to repay exactly the amount of money you owe).”

A round of laughter was heard across the venue. Several personalities, including Devendra Fadnavis and actors, were spotted smiling at the exchange. Rajpal Yadav replied playfully, “At least hear the full masala once.”

However, comedian Zakir Khan, also handling hosting duties, stepped in and said, "I think since the matter is in court, we should let it remain there.”