Salman Khan's comment on 'Balochistan, Pakistan' creates buzz

Mumbai: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has once again become the center of online discussion after several videos of his speech at the Joy Forum in Riyadh went viral. The actor attended the event last Friday alongside fellow megastars Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, creating one of the most talked-about moments of the year for Bollywood fans.

Among the many clips doing rounds on social media, one particular video has caught massive attention where Salman can be heard mentioning “Balochistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan”, a phrasing that many users claim appeared to separate Balochistan from Pakistan.

The moment came as Salman was speaking about the growing reach of Indian cinema and the influence of South Asian communities in the Middle East.

In the viral video, Salman says, “Right now, if you make a Hindi film and release it here (in Saudi Arabia), it will be a superhit. If you make a Tamil, Telugu, or Malayali film, it will do hundreds of crores in business because so many people from other countries have come here. There are people from Balochistan, there are people from Afghanistan, there are people from Pakistan… everyone is working here.”

The clip quickly spread across X (formerly Twitter), sparking widespread debate over whether the actor’s phrasing was deliberate or simply a slip of the tongue.

I don’t know if it was slip of tongue, but this is amazing! Salman Khan separates “people of Balochistan” from “people of Pakistan” .
pic.twitter.com/dFNKOBKoEz

— Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) October 19, 2025

While many social media users praised the statement as an acknowledgment of regional diversity, others interpreted it as a politically sensitive remark. One post read, “When Salman Khan said ‘Balochistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan,’ it speaks volumes. Balochistan is not a province it’s a nation. Baloch is our identity and our state.”

And world is finally getting it:#BalochistanIsNotPakistan!

When @BeingSalmanKhan said “Balochistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan…” — it speaks volumes.
Balochistan is not a Pakistani province — it’s a nation.
Baloch is our identity & our state. ✊#FreeBalochistan @miryar_baloch pic.twitter.com/rAsLHtoO3i

— Jasmin Ahmed (@jasmcv8) October 19, 2025

Another user wrote, “Salman Khan just casually dropped a geopolitical bomb! By separating Balochistan from Pakistan, he highlighted its distinct identity and struggles.”

Even Salman Khan admitted that Balochistan is a separate country pic.twitter.com/ZaRBCKWd6t

— Jabir Baloch (@JabirBaloc12373) October 18, 2025

Others, however, dismissed it as an unintentional mix-up, suggesting it was merely a “slip of the tongue.”

As of now, Salman Khan has not issued any statement addressing the viral clip.

On the work front, the actor was last seen in Sikandar alongside Rashmika Mandanna. He is currently hosting Bigg Boss 19 and is also shooting for his upcoming film based on the Galwan Valley conflict, slated for release in 2026.

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