Superstar Salman Khan has come out in praise of Rajpal Yadav for his three decades of contribution to the film industry, lauding his consistency and the value he brings to every performance. Khan's remarks in support of the comedian came in the wake of a recent award show in which the host apparently takes a dig at Rajpal's ongoing cheque bounce case.
Reportedly, the controversy arose during the Screen Awards held in Mumbai on April 5, where the conversation between journalist Saurabh Dwivedi, Zakir Khan, and Rajpal Yadav was linked to his ongoing financial case.
In the viral clip, Yadav was seen saying, "Rupya, dollar sab upar neeche ho raha hai, kuch samajh mein nahi aa raha hai (There's a lot of up and down in rupee and dollar, I'm not understanding anything)."
"Rajpal bhai, dollar kitna bhi upar-neeche ho jaye, aapko utne hi paise lautane padenge, jitne udhar hai (Rajpal bhai, no matter how high or low the dollar goes, you'll have to return exactly the same amount you borrowed," Saurabh said. However, Saurabh's comments didn't go well with several netizens as they found his joke in poor taste.
Amid this ongoing controversy, Salman 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 . 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 Rajpal yadav"
After his post, Rajpal expressed his gratitude to Salman, saying, "Salman Khan 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!"
Rajpal Yadav was recently granted interim bail in a Rs 9 crore cheque bounce case linked to a loan taken for his 2010 film Ata Pata Laapata. The actor had taken Rs 5 crore from businessman Madhav Gopal Agrawal, and with interest and penalties, the amount later increased to Rs 9 crore. He deposited Rs 1.5 crore and has been granted interim bail until March 18.
Following the incident, several members of the film industry have reportedly extended support to the actor during his difficult phase.
According to his manager, multiple prominent figures have reached out to assist him, reflecting solidarity within the industry. The incident has sparked a wider debate online about the boundaries of humour, especially when it touches upon personal and legal struggles.