Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on a roll at the Sikandar press meet in Dubai: We talk cracking ribs, jokes, and mic drop moments

Dubai: It was supposed to be a staid press conference talking up his Eid release Sikandar. But with Salman Khan in the house, it quickly turned into a one-man show—equal parts roast, stand-up comedy, and storytelling masterclass.

The mercurial star was on a proverbial roll at the Sikandar press meet, surrounded by co-star Rashmika Mandanna and director A.R. Murugadoss. What unfolded? Bhai at his unfiltered best, armed with bruised ribs and bulletproof charm.

When asked if he felt left out on the set amid Tamilian director AR Murugadoss and Coorgi co-star Rashmika, Salman laughed:
“We are not from different countries. We are from the same country. Our language may be different. The heart is the same.”

The banter didn’t stop there. Recalling how he powered through an intense dance sequence with broken ribs, Salman shrugged like it was a paper cut:
“After cracking your ribs and completing the song... The song has come out like that. Nice song, yeah. Okay, next day.”

Even Rashmika was impressed with his discipline and relentless determination to shoot a dance-heavy song with cracked ribs. “How in the world was he shooting a song? Let alone a scene—you can stand and perform. But here, you’re dancing. Only this man right here can do that.”

He didn’t argue—he just added his trademark deadpan:
“It was the most sensible thing to do... for the producer, who is a friend of mine. Best thing to do.”
And when the question came about managing expectations from fans?
“It’s difficult. But this one is going to be really easy because the blame is going to be on Rashmika Mandanna and my director."
Then, with a perfectly timed pause:
“If your film is a big hit, okay, then it is all credit to me. Say it's Salman's big hit."

Somewhere between the jokes and the jabs, one thing became crystal clear: Sikandar may be the name of the film, but there was only one king of that press conference.

Salman Khan showed up mic-less. But by the end? He’d dropped at least four of them.

Even during my one-on-one interview with them, Salman Khan continued to roast.

"Tell me are you my big fan or will you watch my movie - say the truth," he said.

Read our full interview with them soon.