Only Aishwarya Rai Bachchan can shut up Salman Khan

• Bollywood Correspondent

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has always maintained a dignified silence as far as his ex-girlfriend Aishwarya Rai (now Bachchan) is concerned.

For that matter, Salman always refrained from talking about his ex's.

But little did we know that Ash is the only one who can shut up Salman.

Recently, when Salman hosted the Star Guild Awards, he conducted a mock interview with filmmaker Karan Johar.

He tried to turn the table and sat the director down on a sofa in a mock interview referring the filmmaker's TV show 'Koffee With Karan'.

If you thought Karan Johar is good only at firing rapid questions to guests on his show, you might be quite mistaken. He is equally good at giving it back.

He stumps host Salman with some cracking answers.

The 'Dabangg' star opened hostilities with a question he said he had been asked by "crores of people" but had never asked anyone himself: Karan, Why haven't you married yet?

Salman, still an eligible bachelor at 48, is asked this at almost every chance the press gets. His answers, though, are never near as awesome as the retort Karan came up with. "I am also a virgin," he said grinning, referring to Salman's now-infamous declaration of his sexual status on Koffee With Karan.

Worse was to follow for Salman. "Technically," added Karan and, when asked by Salman to explain himself, said "I'll tell you backstage, pun intended."

There was a moment when Salman seemed to be getting the upper hand.

Do you prefer interviewing actors or actresses, he asked Karan who looked nonplussed for few seconds but then came sharply back with: "Two girls on the couch are more fun."

Salman, who clearly hadn't taken enough punishment, then asked Karan what the truest rumour he had heard about himself was. "That you are in love with me," said Karan without blinking. "That's true," said Salman gamely. "Then I can die happy," said KJo.

But Karan has saved his best for later.

"If you could become a woman, which heroine would you choose?" asked Salman.

Karan promptly replied "Aishwarya Rai".

"Aishwarya Rai Bachchan," Salman shot back as the celebrity audience erupted with laughter and applause. Visibly shaken Salman asked, "Reason?". "You are asking me the reason?" a caustic Karan threw at Aishwarya-now-Bachchan's ex-boyfriend.

Seems Salman had bitten much more than he could chew.