Bollywood superstar Salman Khan made a candid appearance as the first guest on the premiere of Koffee With Karan Season 9, opening up about the rigorous discipline, profound physical sacrifices, and serious health battles behind maintaining his iconic screen presence at 61.
Sitting down with host Karan Johar, the actor addressed everything from his viral shirtless moment on Bigg Boss 20 to the cumulative physical toll of decades of action-heavy filmmaking.
Addressing Health Battles and Multiple Injuries
Reflecting on phases in his career where his physical appearance drew online commentary, Salman spoke transparently about the medical hurdles and severe injuries that impacted his body.
- Cumulative Injuries: The actor revealed that years of high-intensity action films—notably stemming from physical strains during Sultan—led to significant shoulder, knee, and back issues.
- Neurological and Medical Conditions: Salman also touched upon more serious health challenges, including coping with trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic facial nerve disorder) and an aneurysm, alongside dealing with a broken head and hernia complications.
- Accountability to Fans: Acknowledging the criticism he faced during lower phases of fitness, Salman noted, “For the people who have been die-hard fans of shirtless me… there was a phase in my life because of a lot of injuries and stuff like that. It was unfair on them to see me like that… That is not any justification for how I was looking. I should not have let go for that time.”
Redefining Fitness and Screen Culture
Karan Johar credited Salman with spearheading the muscular hero trend in Indian cinema, popularizing a rigorous gym culture starting from his debut Maine Pyar Kiya through blockbusters like Wanted and Dabangg.
Detailing how he regained his fitness discipline, Salman emphasized a lifestyle centered on heavy physical effort, cutting out negative habits, and committing to strict daily routines to keep performing complex action sequences.