"Main bhi kmio ki tarah company chalata tha...": Former BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover’s sarcastic take on Salman Khan, says he took ‘faltu ka panga’ on Bigg Boss 18 (original) (raw)

In November 2024, former Shark Tank India judge and entrepreneur

Ashneer Grover

made an appearance on

Bigg Boss 18

as a guest during the Weekend Ka Vaar episode hosted by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan. The episode took an unexpected turn when Salman Khan confronted Grover over past statements he had made about their business interactions. The exchange between the two quickly became a talking point, with Salman accusing Grover of exaggerating facts, while Grover defended his claims.
Now, two months after the incident, Ashneer Grover has publicly responded to the controversy. Speaking at a student event at NIT Kurukshetra, he accused Salman Khan of unnecessarily provoking an argument to create drama. A video of his speech has gone viral on social media, reigniting discussions about the incident. The situation has led to divided opinions, with some supporting Grover's version of events while others side with Salman Khan’s statements.

Ashneer Grover calls out Salman Khan for ‘unnecessary trouble’: Abey naam nahi jaanta toh bulaaya kyun tha?

In a widely circulated video, Ashneer Grover directly addressed the controversy, criticizing Salman Khan for falsely claiming that he did not know him. Speaking to students at NIT Kurukshetra, Grover stated:

"Faltu ka panga leke apna competition khada kiya usne. Main toh shanti se gaya tha jab mereko bulaya. Ab drama create karna ke liye aap kisiko bol do, ‘Arey, main toh aapse mila hi nahi. I don’t even know your name.’ Abey naam nahi jaanta toh bulaaya kyun tha?"
Grover’s comments directly contradict Salman Khan’s statement on Bigg Boss 18, where the actor claimed that he had never personally met him.

Salman Khan’s statements on Bigg Boss 18

During the Weekend Ka Vaar episode, Salman Khan confronted Ashneer Grover about his previous remarks regarding their professional interactions. Salman took issue with Grover’s claim that he personally signed him as the brand ambassador for BharatPe and with the figures Grover had shared regarding the deal.
Salman stated, "The meeting wasn’t with you but with your team. Maybe you were there, but we never had any direct discussions. I saw what you said—you made it seem like we deceived you. That’s not true. Those numbers were incorrect."
Grover, however, did not back down. He defended his statements, saying that, as the head of BharatPe, no major business decision could have happened without his involvement. He responded, "Aur ek baat main bata deta hun. Tum agar meri company ke brand ambassador the toh aisa nahi ho sakta ki tum merese bina mile brand ambassador ban gaye. Main bhi kam*no ki tarah hi company chalata tha. Everything had to go through me."
This remark reinforces Grover’s claim that he had direct interactions with Salman Khan regarding the endorsement deal.

Ashneer Grover recalls negotiating Salman Khan’s endorsement deal

The controversy between Grover and Salman Khan stems from the time when Ashneer was the co-founder of BharatPe. In multiple interviews and podcasts, Grover has recounted his experience negotiating with Salman Khan for an endorsement deal.
According to Grover, in 2019, he met Salman Khan during a commercial shoot and spent around three hours with him. However, he alleged that Salman refused to take a photo with him, which left him slightly irritated. Despite this, he acknowledged Salman’s sharp business acumen and his efforts to maintain a well-crafted public image.
During a university event in 2022, Grover shared an anecdote about his negotiations with Salman Khan’s team. He explained that when he was launching his company with Rs 100 crore in the bank, he was determined to sign Salman Khan as the brand ambassador. Initially, Salman’s manager quoted a price of Rs 7.5 crore for the endorsement. However, after negotiations, Salman agreed to a reduced price of Rs 4.5 crore.
Grover recalled a humorous moment from the negotiation when Salman’s manager jokingly said, "Sir, aap bhindi kharidne aaye ho kya? Kitni mandawali karoge?"
According to Grover, securing Salman Khan at a reduced endorsement fee was a significant achievement that contributed to BharatPe’s brand recognition.

Reactions from the public

The feud between Salman Khan and Ashneer Grover has sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some users believe that it is common for celebrities to claim they don’t know people to maintain a particular public image. They argue that Grover’s statements are justified, considering his role as BharatPe’s co-founder.
Others feel that Salman Khan had the right to call out Grover, especially if his statements in interviews were exaggerated. Many fans also believe that Salman’s comments on Bigg Boss 18 were simply an attempt to clarify the facts rather than create unnecessary drama.
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