Tharoor seeks legal advice over ‘The Kashmir Files’ director’s accusations of bribery in vaccine promotion

New Delhi: In a recent interview, acclaimed filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri stirred controversy as he accused certain elected representatives of accepting bribes to promote foreign COVID-19 vaccines over domestically developed ones.

Agnihotri, whose latest film, ‘The Vaccine War,’ delves into the creation of India's Covaxin vaccine, suggested that individuals holding "constitutional positions" were involved in promoting foreign vaccines for personal gain.

The director, known for his controversial film, ‘The Kashmir Files,’ expressed his frustration with elected officials allegedly prioritizing personal interests over the nation's well-being. While Agnihotri did not explicitly name the accused, he mentioned the ‘Chief Minister of Delhi’ and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor, emphasizing their roles as constitutional figures.

Tharoor, upon learning of Agnihotri's comments, took to Twitter to condemn the accusations as a "cheap bid for publicity." He expressed concern that the repetition of such claims could mislead the public and announced that he was seeking legal counsel to address the matter.

Agnihotri defended his remarks, asserting that he was merely speaking the "truth" and revealed that certain controversial details from his documentary were censored in the domestic release but could be found in the international version.

He also presented reasons why he believed certain individuals had accepted bribes during the pandemic to undermine the government's efforts.

"The Vaccine War" features a star-studded cast, including Nana Patekar, Pallavi Joshi, Raima Sen, Anupam Kher, Girija Oak, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Sapthami Gowda, and Mohan Kapur. The film, released in theatres, offers an exploration of the scientists behind Covaxin's development.