Sunil Pal slams Salman Khan over trolling remarks, calls Bigg Boss a 'gutter show'

Comedian Sunil Pal has hit back at Salman Khan. In a recent Bigg Boss 20 Weekend Ka Vaar episode, the superstar had gone after online trolls. Pal spoke to photographers at an event, questioned where Salman's stardom really comes from, and asked him to end the reality show.

"We made Salman Khan; Salman Khan did not make us," Pal said. He added that the actor is a star because the people of India kept watching his films. He then told Salman and Shah Rukh Khan to learn a lesson from Hanuman Ansh. By his account, the devotional film was made for Rs 2 crore and earned Rs 500 crore, while a Rs 500 crore film cannot even reach Rs 50 crore. He also accused big stars of holding so much power in the industry that smaller people cannot make films. He credited Lord Hanuman and Neem Karoli Baba for the film's success.

Hanuman Ansh is about the life of Neem Karoli Baba and was reportedly made for around Rs 2 crore. It opened to small numbers and picked up strongly in the weeks after. Trade estimates put its India nett total at Rs 271.25 crore by its seventh Wednesday, close to the Rs 275 crore mark.

Pal saved his harshest words for Bigg Boss itself. He called it a "gutter show" and said it takes controversial people and turns them into celebrities. He reportedly said he does not support trolls, but felt anyone on the show, whether Salman or a contestant, deserves to be trolled. He also reportedly claimed, without giving any evidence, that Salman does most of the casting. He added that he had been approached for the show himself but refused to bow down.

Pal's outburst follows the Weekend Ka Vaar episode where Salman spoke about celebrities being targeted for their looks. He said he had been called "budha" and mocked for his new bald look. He defended Katrina Kaif against comments about her weight gain after childbirth, took off his shirt in reply to body-shaming, and called people who make money by pulling others down "parasites". Varun Dhawan, Neha Dhupia and Rohit Shetty were among those who backed him.