Salman Khan calls out Ashneer Grover for false claims on brand deals

Ashneer Grover has once again landed in the spotlight. The former Shark Tank India judge and co-founder and managing director of BharatPe, recently made an appearance on the reality show Bigg Boss 18 where he got caught up in a heated confrontation with Bollywood superstar and host Salman Khan.

During the Weekend Ka Vaar episode, Khan addressed Grover’s past remarks about him. He called out the entrepreneur for his “doglapan” (hypocrisy), referring to Grover's earlier comments on the actor’s endorsement deal with BharatPe. Salman, before sending Grover into the Bigg Boss house, made it clear that he wanted to set the record straight.

The actor clarified that contrary to Grover’s claims, they never had an extended one-on-one meeting, nor was there any camaraderie as implied in Grover’s public statements and he got to know his name only when the makers said that he would be visiting the show.  He clearly asked, "I heard you talking about me. You said, 'We have signed him for this much.' You also gave the wrong figures. So what is this double standard?" .  

To this, Grover responded that hiring Salman as the brand ambassador in 2019 was “one of the smartest moves” he had ever made and "maybe in the podcast, it didn't come across correct."  Yet, this didn’t stop Salman from reminding him of the pitfalls of speaking out of turn. “Your words can bite you back, even when we aren’t in the room,” Salman quipped.

Here’s the full conversation between #SalmanKhan & #AshneerGrover. It’s an absolute treat to watch, considering how Ashneer demeaned Salman Khan in that podcast. Ashneer absolutely deserved this belt treatment!

pic.twitter.com/VdkYTxwrHh

— SALMAN KI SENA™ (@Salman_ki_sena) November 17, 2024

The unexpected showdown left Grover visibly flustered, prompting him to issue an apology on national television. The viral clip of Salman confronting Grover has went viral on the internet, with netizens poking fun at the usually outspoken businessman for toning down his bravado. 

For context, back in 2019, Salman was brought on board as the face of BharatPe while Grover was still at the helm. However, in a podcast last year, Grover claimed to have negotiated the actor’s fee from Rs 7.5 crore to Rs 4.5 crore, likening the negotiation to buying vegetables at a market. He also alleged that Salman’s team denied him a photo with the star, leading to a tongue-in-cheek remark about Salman’s “attitude.”

This isn’t the first time Grover has courted controversy. He previously revealed that he turned down an offer to appear on Bigg Boss, stating he would only join if paid more than Salman Khan.

Grover also claimed that he rejected Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador, despite being offered a package deal that included Anushka Sharma. Instead, he signed 11 cricketers for half of Kohli’s fee, showcasing his preference for unconventional business decisions.