LI Network
Published on: 28 September 2023 at 00:08 IST
In a recent social media update, Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor revealed his intent to seek legal advice in response to allegations made by filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri. Agnihotri, whose upcoming film ‘The Vaccine War’ is scheduled for release on Thursday, has stirred controversy by suggesting that Tharoor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promoted foreign vaccines in exchange for financial incentives.
The ongoing feud between Shashi Tharoor and Vivek Agnihotri has attracted significant attention, leaving many curious about the reasons behind Tharoor’s decision to take legal action.
The dispute appears to have its roots in Agnihotri’s recent statements, which he made during an interview with a media outlet. In a viral clip from this interview, Agnihotri expressed his views on celebrities endorsing products for monetary gain, distinguishing between public figures and those holding constitutional positions.
Agnihotri stated, “If a right-wing person promotes [Shah Rukh Khan’s film] ‘Jawaan’ for some money, that’s not a problem. They are just earning some money. Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and cricketers like Virat Kohli promote products that they don’t use and never will. That’s a business give and take. But it is very concerning if people holding Constitutional posts take money to promote something against the interest of the country.”
In response to the interviewer’s prodding, Agnihotri specifically mentioned Kejriwal and Tharoor as individuals holding constitutional positions who have allegedly engaged in such promotions.
Agnihotri further claimed, “We have shown everything in the movie. Certain things are blurred in the Indian version since we cannot show those, but in the overseas version, it is all there.”
While Arvind Kejriwal has not yet responded to the viral clip, Shashi Tharoor reacted to a user’s suggestion on social media that both he and the AAP leader should consider legal action against the director for making these “wild allegations.”
Tharoor expressed his intent to seek legal counsel, stating, “It is obviously a cheap bid for publicity, but the concern is that once a lie is repeated often enough, some people will start to believe it. Am seeking legal advice.”
This is not the first time that Vivek Agnihotri and Shashi Tharoor have engaged in a public dispute. They have previously clashed over Tharoor’s commentary on Agnihotri’s film ‘The Kashmir Files’ and Tharoor’s statements on Mughals in his social media posts. As this latest controversy unfolds, it raises questions about the intersection of public figures, freedom of expression, and legal recourse in the contemporary landscape.