Stand-up comedian and host Zakir Khan had Bollywood squirming in their seats — and laughing nervously — at the Chetak Screen Awards 2026. The 38-year-old used his hosting platform to deliver one of the most talked-about moments of the evening: a sharp, pointed roast aimed at the film industry’s reaction to Dhurandhar: The Revenge and its historic box office run.
“Sabki Jali Toh Hai” — Khan Calls Out the Fake Love
Taking to the stage on April 5, Khan said in a viral clip: “Kitne hi congratulatory post aap daal de, kitne hi story daalde, kitne hi interview mein aap bolde my favourite film, magar sach toh yeh hai ke Dhurandhar se sabki jali toh hai” — calling out the gap between public praise and private feelings within the industry. Daily Jang
The line landed like a grenade in a room full of industry insiders, drawing a mix of cheers, laughter and some very telling smiles from the audience.
The Punchline That Went Viral
Adding to the hilarity, Khan delivered the killer punchline: “Bomb film mein footein Lyari mein, par dhuan udaa hai Bandra se Juhu mein” — meaning the bombs may have gone off in the film’s setting of Lyari, but the smoke is rising all the way through Bollywood’s most elite neighbourhoods. Asianet Newsable The line had the crowd erupting instantly and has since become one of the most shared moments from the awards night.
The Numbers That Made Bollywood Uncomfortable
The context behind Khan’s roast is impossible to ignore. Dhurandhar: The Revenge, headlined by Ranveer Singh and directed by Aditya Dhar, has been breaking box office records — raking in over ₹1,000 crore nett domestically and surpassing ₹1,600 crore gross worldwide. Business Today
Tellingly, the loudest applause for Dhurandhar 2 has come from Hyderabad and Chennai — with SS Rajamouli, Nag Ashwin, and Rajinikanth openly celebrating the film — while the response from Mumbai’s A-list establishment has been largely muted, with only a few obligatory acknowledgements. Bollywood Hungama
Internet Reacts — But Not Everyone’s Laughing
While the roast earned cheers from the audience on the night, it didn’t sit entirely well with a section of netizens online, who labelled Khan a hypocrite for calling out the industry while himself being a part of the same ecosystem. Filmibeat
Regardless, the clip has gone massively viral — with fans widely sharing it as a rare moment of honest commentary at a mainstream Bollywood awards show.
The Bigger Picture
Dhurandhar 2 has fundamentally disrupted the prevailing narrative that Hindi cinema needs Southern collaborations or crossover aesthetics to cross ₹1,000 crore. By dominating the box office on the sheer strength of its own storytelling and a homegrown cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt and Madhavan, the film has proven that Hindi cinema can conquer the country on its own terms — a prospect that has left parts of the establishment visibly unsettled. Bollywood Hungama
Zakir Khan said what many were thinking. Whether or not Bollywood chooses to acknowledge it is, of course, another matter entirely.
