I have known Salman Khan for years, and there are certain things about him that don’t surprise me anymore. His loyalty towards people he considers close to him is one of them.
So when I saw Salman Khan speak out against the trolling surrounding Katrina Kaif’s post-motherhood appearance in Bigg Boss, I wasn’t surprised. I saw it as the Salman I have known for years — fiercely protective when someone close to him is being targeted or humiliated.
Katrina Kaif has reportedly been subjected to comments about her weight and looks following a recent public appearance after embracing motherhood. In a world where social media has given everyone a voice, it has also given far too many people the confidence to pass judgment on someone else’s body from behind a screen.
During an interaction on Bigg Boss, Salman addressed exactly this mindset.
His message was blunt: before commenting on somebody else’s face or body, people should first look at themselves.
And then he did something that, to me, made the message even more powerful. He reportedly removed his shirt and cap and put himself in the spotlight — essentially saying, Go ahead, judge me if you want. But understand what you are doing when you reduce another human being to their physical appearance.
That takes a certain amount of courage.
We live in an industry where appearances are part of the business. Actors are expected to look young, fit and camera-ready all the time. Every change in their face, body or weight can become a topic of public discussion.
But somewhere along the way, we seem to have forgotten that celebrities are human beings first.
And motherhood makes this conversation even more important.
A woman’s body changes through pregnancy and after childbirth. That should not be controversial. It should not require an explanation. And certainly, it should not become an invitation for strangers on the internet to dissect, ridicule or shame her.
What bothers me most about this culture of trolling is how casually we do it.
We see a photograph. We notice a change. We type a comment. We press send.
And then we move on with our lives.
But the person on the other side has to live with those words.
I have always believed that when someone is being publicly humiliated, silence can sometimes be mistaken for acceptance. That is why I understand Salman’s reaction.
His relationship with Katrina goes back years. They have shared films, professional journeys and a long association. Naturally, his decision to speak up carries that personal context.
But I also think his message goes beyond Katrina.
It is about all of us.
Before commenting on someone else’s weight, look at our own insecurities. Before laughing at someone else’s appearance, ask ourselves why another person’s body has become entertainment. Before judging a woman for how she looks after becoming a mother, ask why we believe her body owes us a certain appearance.
We don’t.
Nobody does.
Whatever one’s opinion of Salman Khan may be, I think this particular message deserves to be heard on its own terms: people should not be shamed simply because their bodies don’t conform to somebody else’s expectations.