Cinema VinesSalman Khan, one of India’s biggest film stars, used his social‑media platform to back students protesting over the alleged NEET paper leak, a move that reignited a 2020 story his father, Salim Khan, once shared about the actor’s involvement with leaked exam papers. In a post on X and other sites on Wednesday, Khan called the leak a “very serious issue” and expressed sorrow for the injuries sustained by students during the July 20 demonstrations, urging that the nation’s education system be the focus of the debate.
His statement sparked a flurry of online discussion, with many recalling the anecdote Salim Khan told on The Kapil Sharma Show in 2020. Salim recounted how a man named Ganesh would receive special treatment at the family home, and that when exam papers were leaked, Ganesh would hand them over to the family. The punchline, delivered with a grin, left the audience laughing and led to jokes from Sohail Khan and Kapil Sharma about family secrets. Salman himself later clarified that the story was about him, adding a smile to the exchange.
When the video of the Kapil Sharma Show clip resurfaced on social media, critics pointed out a perceived hypocrisy in Khan’s recent support for the protests. A Reddit user remarked that “cheating is probably the least bad thing he has done” while another on X called the internet a “bloody damn karma place.” Some commentators noted that the country’s comedic culture allows for jokes about serious misconduct, yet they urged that the youth should be outraged rather than amused.
Salman Khan’s comments came amid growing protests led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) against the alleged leak, with students demanding accountability and reforms in the examination system. The actor’s stance, while praised by some for acknowledging the seriousness of the issue, was also met with criticism for seemingly downplaying his own past association with leaked papers.
