And then there is Salman Khan.
This is the same Salman who once tweeted about Zinta saying, "Too many single meaning jokes on GWR vit Zinta.
keep quiet don't enjoy.bhai bhai bhai matrabhumi picture ki maaa ki aankh, pic imp hai ya life (sic)," he wrote.
And yet, with Salman Khan, it somehow becomes part of the deal.
The understanding seems simple: you can manage Salman Khan, but you probably cannot control him.
Celebrities are not just actors today. They are brands. Every post is thought through, every appearance is carefully planned, and every controversy is handled like a PR exercise. The idea is simple: stay polished, stay safe and never lose control of the narrative.
And then there is Salman Khan.
A superstar who can post about friendship one minute, threaten paparazzi the next, defend a fellow actor publicly, congratulate Preity Zinta at midnight, post blurry selfies, explain himself in broken sentences and still trend everywhere without even trying too hard.
Read Full Story
In fact, Salman can easily be called an anomaly in today's Bollywood. He exists in an era of over-curated celebrity culture, but behaves like a star from a completely different time - a time when actors didn't need three approvals before posting a tweet, when celebrities could sound messy, emotional, impulsive, funny, annoyed and random - all in the same day.
Which is why Salman's recent social media activity has become so interesting to watch.
Khan joined Twitter (now X) in 2010. Not because he wanted to jump on the social media bandwagon, but because his brother, actor Arbaaz Khan, made him do it. And as Bhai often does - he obliged.
That year was golden. Salman loved using the platform - being his carefree self, writing whatever he wanted, however he wanted, hardly ever completing full words or even making direct sense. But somehow, it worked. Those tweets became a part of the Bhai lore. They were raw, random and completely Salman.
Then, somewhere along the way, those raining Bhai tweets slowed down.
Why? Salman would know better. But one can guess it had a lot to do with the growing PR culture around celebrities and the increasing need to control narratives. This was also the period when the superstar was dealing with multiple legal cases, including the infamous footpath accident case and the blackbuck case. Naturally, things changed. The stakes became higher. The image became more guarded.
But now, something seems to be changing again.
Is Bhai back? Not entirely. But there are signs.
At 60, Salman seems to have found a new mojo on social media, especially on X, where he has once again started speaking his mind. Commentary posts, explanations, personal opinions, random musings - it's all coming back slowly. And interestingly, all of this has happened only recently. In fact, the change became noticeable last month itself. Sample this:
During Eid this year, Salman gave fans a glimpse of his father, legendary screenwriter Salim Khan, who has been recovering after suffering a minimal brain haemorrhage and a blood clot earlier this year. And after that post, the superstar simply got back to doing what he does best - speaking directly.
Eid Mubarak, Thank you very much for your blessings, Dad is back home thank you pic.twitter.com/PuaaZWNDHd— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) March 21, 2026
Soon after, he publicly supported fellow actor-comedian Rajpal Yadav, who found himself in an uncomfortable spot over his legal case during an award show. Salman praised Yadav's talent and assured that he would continue getting work in the industry.
For a superstar to openly do that for another actor is rare today. So rare that most stars now avoid taking clear stands altogether. Even when asked direct questions, they respond in carefully crafted, cryptic statements. Salman, however, once again showed how freely he thinks and how casually he says exactly what he feels.
Then came April 13. Salman casually posted a short message for his friend and frequent co-star Preity Zinta after her IPL team performed well. "Well done Zinta,Congratulations Zinta, Team is playing well . (sic)," he wrote.
advertisement
And just like that, fans were transported back to the old Salman Twitter era - the one where Bhai would praise anyone he liked or bash anyone he disliked in barely 10 words.
This is the same Salman who once tweeted about Zinta saying, "Too many single meaning jokes on GWR vit Zinta. Had a blast, she is an amazing host, if any 1 thinks they r double meaning dirty mind (sic)," or simply, "Hehehe Zinta u r mind blowing hehehe (sic)."
That's really the point here.
Is Salman following any PR rulebook? Or is this his version of the PR game itself? Because if it is strategy, it feels almost anti-PR.
Random thoughts, clarifications, cryptic lines, blurry selfies, abrupt reactions - all of it feels jarring today because audiences are now used to celebrities sounding like brand-approved corporate statements. Salman, though, still comes across as unfiltered and largely unbothered.
advertisement
Industry insiders and journalists who have observed him closely over the years would probably agree that Salman is not someone who gets bothered easily. He's usually laidback, living in his own world, spending time with family, cracking jokes around people and operating with the confidence of someone who has seen every possible side of stardom.
Many in the industry would also tell you that Salman tends to think about everyone on set - the crew members, supporting cast, technicians, extras - everyone. But there are also very clear boundaries with him.
People can advise him, sure. He may even listen. But when Salman decides something, there is little room for negotiation.
"When he gets bothered, which doesn't happen very easily, but if it happens, there is no talking. Only action," an insider told IndiaToday.in.
And how do you PR-manage a star like that? A superstar of this stature, carrying such a massive personality, someone who cannot really be told what to say, what not to say, or how exactly to behave in public.
His latest posting spree proves that he wants to be heard directly, without filters. Especially after last week's hospital incident, where he first schooled the paparazzi outside and then followed it up with a series of emotional posts explaining his anger and mocking the photographers.
advertisement
In one of the posts, Salman even implied that films and publicity matter less to him than respect, etiquette and basic human behaviour.
"But if they wanna make money from my losses. keep quiet don't enjoy.bhai bhai bhai matrabhumi picture ki maaa ki aankh, pic imp hai ya life (sic)," he wrote.
He later added:
"Aise main sau jala doonga.Bhai k ek bhai k dukh par agli baar try kar lena mere sath.Buss try kar lena . Jab bhi tumhara koi hospital mai hoga kya mai aisa react karoonga? (sic)."
Check out his other posts:
From a PR perspective, this is a nightmare.
And yet, with Salman Khan, it somehow becomes part of the deal. The understanding seems simple: you can manage Salman Khan, but you probably cannot control him.
That's what makes Salman both fascinating and impossible. His unpredictability has always been his brand. The chaos is the strategy or maybe there is no strategy at all.
Either way, it works.
- Ends
