Ashneer Grover On Bigg Boss Drama: 'I Complimented Salman, They Turned It Into A Controversy'

Entrepreneur Ashneer Grover says his interaction with Salman Khan on Bigg Boss 18 was exaggerated by the show. He maintains he merely complimented Salman and holds no hard feelings.

Ashneer Grover clarifies his appearance with Salman Khan on Bigg Boss 18, saying the episode was turned into drama by the show.

Source : Instagram

Ashneer Grover, former 'Shark Tank' India judge and entrepreneur, has finally addressed the social media trolling he received after appearing on 'Bigg Boss 18' with superstar Salman Khan. In a recent interview with Zoom, Grover clarified that the so-called controversy was fabricated by the show for entertainment value.

“Mereko toh kuch tha bhi nahi, maine toh us bande ki tareef ki thi,” Ashneer said, adding, “Woh show pe bula ke aap ne kuch controversy create kar di... Thik hai, yaar, maybe that's what they needed for the show at that point of time.”

“There’s No Love Lost,” Says Ashneer

When asked whether he would consider working with Salman again, Ashneer didn’t hesitate to say he’s open to the idea.

“I liked the guy then, which is why I worked with him. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no love lost,” he said.

Sticking to his “never say never” outlook, Ashneer hinted that he holds no grudges and wouldn't mind future collaborations with the Bollywood megastar.

The Viral Exchange That Sparked Online Reactions

Ashneer appeared on Bigg Boss 18 during a Weekend Ka Vaar episode in November 2024. During the episode, Salman Khan confronted Ashneer about remarks made in a 2023 episode of the Vagehra Vagehra podcast. In that interview, Ashneer alleged he wasn’t allowed to take a photo with Salman during a business meeting.

Responding on national television, Salman said in Hindi: “Meeting was not held with you but with your team. Maybe you were also present there. We have not had any discussions. I saw what you said. You presented that we befooled you. This is wrong. Those numbers were wrong.”

Caught off guard, Ashneer remained silent and ultimately apologised on the show. The exchange quickly went viral, with netizens flooding social media with memes and reactions.

Ashneer Returns to Reality TV with ‘Rise & Fall’

Despite the backlash, Ashneer Grover has re-entered the reality television space. He is currently hosting Rise & Fall, a business-based reality series now streaming on Amazon MX Player.

While the Bigg Boss incident may have stirred headlines, Ashneer appears unfazed. His remarks suggest he considers the drama a part of showbiz machinery—something he’s grown used to.

“Maybe that’s what they needed for the show at that point of time,” he said, brushing off the controversy with a casual shrug.