Veteran Pakistani actor and comedian Kashif Khan has revealed that Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was a big fan of Karachi’s famous biryani and haleem, which Kashif used to personally bring from Burns Road during his frequent visits to Mumbai.
In a candid conversation on the ARY Podcast, Kashif Khan shared intriguing memories from his close ties with the Indian film industry, especially during a time when cultural exchanges between India and Pakistan were more common. He described how he would travel to Mumbai so frequently that it felt like commuting between neighborhoods in Karachi.
He recalled bringing traditional Pakistani dishes for Salman Khan, who developed a fondness for the flavors of Karachi. “I used to take biryani and haleem for Salman from Burns Road and he absolutely loved them,” Kashif said.
During the conversation, Kashif also defended his daughter, TikToker Rabeeca Khan, who was previously ridiculed for claiming that Bollywood legends Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan were fans of her father. “People mocked her, but the reality is many Indian actors did admire my work,” he stated.
Highlighting his past work in India, Kashif noted that he had collaborated extensively with the Indian entertainment industry, more than most Pakistani artists today, but the absence of social media at the time meant much of it went unnoticed. “Those who worked before 2013 didn’t get the online recognition that artists receive now,” he explained.
Kashif said that he often took his family along during his India visits, and that Bollywood’s biggest stars, including Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, showed a genuine interest in meeting them. “They wanted to know about my family. My kids even met them,” he added.
He emphasized how the current political tensions between India and Pakistan have made such cross-border interactions difficult.
On a question about receiving a call from Bollywood greats on Rabeeca Khan’s wedding, he said that neither Salman nor Shah Rukh called to congratulate her, and he believes its better that way. “Even a phone call can cause problems for Indian actors today,” he remarked.
Kashif concluded by expressing nostalgia for those better times. “I value those memories, but times have changed,” he said.
While he admitted that today’s generation does not know about Kashif Khan the comedian but they do know him as Rabeeca’s father.
Kashif Khan has worked in various Indian projects, including a comedy show called India Best Comedy.