Aayush Sharma says he still can’t call father-in-law Salim Khan ‘Dad’: ‘Don’t have the courage’ | Bollywood News
4 min readNew DelhiJul 20, 2026 11:41 AM Some celebrity couples often become the subject of public scrutiny because of how “unlikely” they appear. One such couple is Arpita Khan and Aayush Sharma. When they tied the knot in 2014, Aayush was just 24, and many assumed he had married Salman Khan’s ser to secure a launch in Bollywood. However, the two have been happily married for over 11 years and have two children together. But, the perception, he says, has hardly changed. In a recent interview, Aayush opened up about the trolling he continues to face over his marriage and how he has learned to laugh it off.
“Initially, people’s comments about my intention behind marrying Arpita used to hurt me. But over the years, it has stopped bothering me. Arpita and I have completed 11 years of marriage. Our son is 10 and our daughter is six. In these 11 years, I have made only three films, none of which were blockbuster hits. There is no real connection between my career and my family,” he told Lallantop.
He added, “Sometimes people create a perception based on what they see, and that very easily turns into a narrative. I don’t pay attention to these things anymore. If I start reacting to these accusations, it would be like disrespecting my marriage. I don’t have to justify my relationship to anyone.”
Aayush Sharma says Arpita might divorce him for one reason
Recalling one of the memes that made him laugh, Aayush said, “I recently saw a meme about Arpita and me. It read, ‘Things people do to get a PlayStation.’ Instead of getting irritated, I laughed. I wanted to post a picture and write, ‘I have a PlayStation Pro.’ But then I let it go. We can’t shut people’s mouths. I am not the only one they troll. They talk about everyone.” He also shared another joke directed at him. “Someone once said that Arpita and I would soon get divorced because my films weren’t working. I replied, ‘The divorce won’t happen because my films didn’t work. It might happen because of my PJs.’”
ALSO READ | CJP protest: Shabana Azmi kisses protesters hands, Prakash Raj says, ‘I am with you’
Describing himself, Aayush said he has never taken himself too seriously.
“I am a huge cartoon. Maybe that’s why I openly joke about the fact that none of my films have worked. I love cracking jokes and laughing. I have very few friends, and I enjoy spending time with them and my family. I am the comedian of my group,” he said.Story continues below this ad
‘Still can’t address Salim Khan as papa’
During the same conversation, Aayush also spoke about his equation with Arpita’s family. While he addresses Salman Khan as “Bhai” like everyone else, he admitted he has never been able to call veteran screenwriter Salim Khan “Dad.”
“My relationship with him is different. Till date, I haven’t gathered the courage to call him Dad. I admire him so much as a screenplay writer that my heart only wants to address him as ‘Salim Sahab.’ He is a legendary man. Most of the time, he speaks and I just reply. I feel very strange calling him Dad or Papa. I am a huge fan of Deewar, Sholay and Zanjeer. My head is always bowed in front of him. I have never initiated a conversation with him. I see him in a different zone,” he said.
Who is Arpita Khan?
Arpita Khan is the adopted daughter of Salim Khan and Helen. She was adopted after her biological mother passed away and grew up with her siblings Salman Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan and Alvira Agnihotri. Arpita and Aayush got married on November 18, 2014, in a grand ceremony at Hyderabad’s Falaknuma Palace. Aayush is the grandson of former Himachal Pradesh Chief Miner Virbhadra Singh’s political rival and former Union Miner Sukh Ram. The couple has two children—a son, Ahil, and a daughter, Ayat.
