Salman Khan has returned to Bigg Boss 18 just days after the brutal murder of his close friend and NCP leader Baba Siddique. In the latest episode, the actor expressed that he didn't want to be back, adding that he was there out of work commitment. He also mentioned feeling reluctant to meet anyone. During the episode, Salman interacted with contestant Shilpa Shirodkar, who was upset and had stopped eating after a disagreement with Avinash Mishra. As Shilpa became teary-eyed, Salman asked her how she would feel if her daughter expressed anger through food. Shilpa clarified that her frustration was directed at Avinash's attitude, not the food. Salman then advised, "Feeling se koi rishta aapka iss ghar mein hona hi nahi chahiye" (You shouldn't have any connection with feelings in this house).
Salman continued, "Aaj ki meri yeh feeling hai ki mujhe aaj yahan pe aana hi nahi chahiye tha. Nahi aana tha mujhe yahan par. But yeh ek commitment hai, toh isliye main yahan pe aaya hoon. Ek mera kaam hai, kaam karne aaya hoon. Mujhe kisi se na milna, mujhe aap logo se bhi nahi milna" (Today, I feel that I shouldn't have come here. I didn't want to come, but this is a commitment, so I'm here. I don't want to meet anyone, not even you guys). He added, "Yaar kasam khuda ki, what all I'm going through in my life and I have to come and handle this."
According to a recent report by India Today, Salman returned to filming for Bigg Boss 18 with heavy security measures in place. He reportedly stayed in his chalet on the premises before his scheduled call time. Over 60 security personnel have been deployed to ensure safety, and access to the venue has been restricted, with guards checking Aadhar cards before allowing entry.
Baba Siddique was shot dead by three unknown assailants in Bandra. He was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. He was a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics and was well-known for his close ties with several Bollywood celebrities, including Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan among others. He played a pivotal role in reconciling the two superstars, who had a well-publicised feud nearly a decade ago. The two stars, who had been avoiding each other since a heated argument at Katrina Kaif's birthday party in 2008, finally met each other at Baba Siddique's annual Iftaar party. Their earlier tension faded as they greeted each other warmly and shared a heartfelt hug.
On the professional front, Salman Khan was last seen in AP Dhillon's Old Money, which also features Sanjay Dutt. He also produced the docu-series Angry Young Men, based on the journey of iconic screenwriters Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar from the 1970s Hindi cinema. This project was produced alongside Salma Khan, Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti.
On Eid, Salman announced his upcoming film titled Sikandar, where he will star alongside Rashmika Mandanna. AR Murugadoss will direct the film. Last year, he had two film releases: Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Tiger 3, which featured Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi and was directed by Maneesh Sharma. He also made a special appearance in Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan. Additionally, Salman returned as the host for the 18th season of the reality TV show Bigg Boss.