During an appearance on Koffee With Karan 9, Salman Khan hinted that host Karan Johar's nervousness around him may stem from Salman's past conflict with Shah Rukh Khan. When Karan admitted that Salman makes him stressed and nervous, Salman questioned whether this was because of their own relationship or someone else's. Salman suggested that Karan should not feel stressed now as things have been good for a long time, then referenced a period when their relationship was not cordial, saying "at one point of time, it was not good. So, I could have understood that you were scared of me because of not you, because of Shah Rukh." Karan laughed and denied the claim.

The remark alluded to the July 2008 altercation between Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan at Katrina Kaif's birthday party in Mumbai. According to media reports at the time, the argument began over remarks about their respective television shows, Dus Ka Dum and Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain, and escalated following a comment about Salman's former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Karan Johar, who was present at the party, reportedly left with Shah Rukh and his wife Gauri Khan after the incident.

Following the 2008 fallout, Salman and Shah Rukh remained estranged for several years. Their relationship improved in July 2013 when the two actors publicly hugged at politician Baba Siddique's Iftaar party in Mumbai, marking a public reconciliation.