Shashi Tharoor reacts to ‘paid review’ allegations after praising Aryan Khan’s show: I’m not for sale

Shashi Tharoor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to pen a note for Aryan Khan and superstar Shah Rukh Khan after watching The Ba***ds of Bollywood.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor recently took to social media to praise Aryan Khan’s show The Ba***ds of Bollywood. However, his post soon sparked allegations of it being a “paid review.” The senior leader hit back at the accusation, clarifying his stance.

In his post, Shashi Tharoor also congratulated Shah Rukh Khan over the reception of the show.

Shashi Tharoor hits back at ‘paid review’ claims

Tharoor took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to pen a note for Aryan and superstar Shah Rukh Khan after watching The Ba***ds of Bollywood.

After Tharoor posted a very positive review of the Netflix series, which also marked Aryan’s debut as a director, one social media user took a jab at him, commenting, “Shashi Tharoor’s new side business – paid reviews.” The senior politician, however, wasn’t in the mood to ignore the remark and responded, giving the troll a sharp reply.

On Monday, Tharoor took to X to hit back at the allegation. In his response, Tharoor wrote, "I’m not for sale, my friend. No opinion I express has ever been paid for by anybody, in cash or in kind."

Earlier, on Sunday, Tharoor admitted that Aryan Khan’s show left him, calling it as “absolute OTT GOLD”.

“I’ve been battling a cold & cough and cancelled engagements for two days. My staff and my sister, @smitatharoor, persuaded me to turn my eyes away from the computer part of the time towards a @NetflixIndia series, and it’s one of the best things I have ever treated myself to: absolute #OTT GOLD,” Tharoor wrote.

He continued, “Just finished watching Aryan Khan's directorial debut, “The Ba***ds of Bollywood”, and I'm left grasping for words of praise. It takes time to grow on you, but then you’re irresistibly hooked! The writing is sharp, the direction is fearless, and the sheer audacity of this satire is just what Bollywood needed. A genius, often hilarious, sometimes moving, and always unflinching look beyond the glamour, sending up every cinematic cliche with razor-like wit — and a series of insider jokes that let the audience into the act & behind the scenes.”

Wrapping up his post, Tharoor shared, “The seven compelling episodes mark the arrival of a true storytelling powerhouse. Take a bow, Aryan Khan—you’ve delivered a masterpiece: “TheBa***dsOfBollywood” is brilliant! @iamsrk: from one father to another, let me say: you must be so proud.”

About Aryan’s show

Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan debuted as a director on September 18 with the Netflix web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. The satirical comedy, starring Lakshya, Raghav Juyal, Sahher Bambba, and Bobby Deol in lead roles, received good reviews from the audience.

A satire on the Hindi film industry, the show explores the power struggles within Bollywood and the challenges faced by outsiders trying to remain relevant. It also features Anya Singh, Mona Singh and Manoj Pahwa in pivotal parts.