Salman Khan has gone back to a subject he clearly has not finished with. On the Weekend Ka Vaar episode of Bigg Boss 20 that aired on October 10, 2026, the host said photographers had ignored his earlier warning about shooting women from behind, and promised he would now "take a big stand" on it. Actor Neha Dhupia, who was on the show to promote Roadies, used the moment to thank him publicly.
Neha Dhupia's thank-you
According to the Times of India, Neha appeared on the stage with Rannvijay Singha, Prince Narula and Abhishek Malhan. Rannvijay told Salman that Neha had reached out to him after the earlier episode in which Salman spoke up for actresses. She wanted to thank Salman, he said, but was a little hesitant, so he told her to just text him.
On stage, Neha said it herself. "I did not have a chance aur mujhe aaj mauka mila hai. You're such a great voice and thank you for saying this and especially when you say it, it just becomes so important," she said, as quoted by the Times of India. She added that his voice carries further than most.
What Salman said this time
Salman said the practice had continued, and even increased, since he first raised it. "Now they started doing even more but I'll take a big stand on it. They think right now it is a joke. And, some big platforms are doing it. I'll take full on action," he said, according to the Times of India.
He also made a claim that is likely to spark debate. "There are also some women and some guys who call them (paps) there, pay for them there, they ask them to do this," he said. "Woh bhi kya karein?" He did not name anyone. He drew a line around consent: some celebrities have no problem with such photos, and others are uncomfortable. "Jinko chahiye woh karo bhai. Jinko nahi chahiye unko choona nahi tum," he said, meaning those who want it can do it, but photographers should not touch those who don't.
His warning to photographers was direct. "When you girls come and say ki 'Yeh nahi karna', uske baad karenge to phir dekhenge unko," he said, meaning that if photographers continue after being told no, he will deal with them.
How this started
This is the second time in recent weeks that Salman has used the Bigg Boss stage for the issue. In an earlier Weekend Ka Vaar, quoted by the Times of India, he criticised photographers for taking hip shots, leg shots and shots from behind. He said Saiee Manjrekar, whom he launched in Dabangg 3, did not like such a picture, and that photographers had shot his own niece from behind with a caption asking people to guess who she was. "None of these heroines, none of the girls like it," he said then, calling it a question of mentality.
The comments struck a chord because the problem is visible on social media almost daily, where airport and gym clips are often cut to focus on women's bodies. A statement from one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars, made on a prime-time show, puts pressure on both the photographers and the accounts that post their videos.
The bigger picture
Salman has been busy on several fronts. He is also in the Delhi High Court over the proposed film Kala Hiran, which we covered in "Salman Khan Takes Kala Hiran to Delhi High Court — Personality Rights, Blackbuck Case, and the Film He Wants Stopped." On Bigg Boss 20 itself, the same Saturday episode brought in the season's first wildcard, Manish Goel.
Whether "full on action" means legal steps, an industry boycott or something else, he did not say. But the message to Mumbai's paparazzi was clear.
FAQ
What did Salman Khan say about paparazzi? On Bigg Boss 20's October 10, 2026 Weekend Ka Vaar, he said paparazzi had continued taking inappropriate back shots of women despite his warning, and that he would take "full on action".
Why did Neha Dhupia thank Salman Khan? She thanked him for speaking up for actresses against such photos, saying his voice makes the message more important.
Did Salman Khan say celebrities pay paparazzi? He claimed that some women and men call photographers and pay them for such pictures, without naming anyone.
Is this the first time Salman has raised this issue? No. He criticised the practice in an earlier Weekend Ka Vaar episode, citing Saiee Manjrekar and his niece.
Cover photo: EdiDevil / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0