The arrest of Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was political motivated to tarnish his father's reputation, feel Malayalam actor Tovino Thomas and director Aashiq Abu.

The duo was asked a question about Aryan's arrest during an interview for their film Naradan. Incidentally, in the film, Tovino plays a news anchor who peddles fabricated stories. The political thriller also features Anna Ben.

"It was staged, it was planned," Aashiq said in an interview to Bollywood Hungama, referring Aryan's arrest and the ensuing smear campaign against his father.

"I think that was their purpose, that was the intention I think, from whatever we know now, there was a political intension to tarnish Shah Rukh Khan's reputation, his son's reputation, it looks like that...," Tovino agreed.

Aryan, 24, was arrested in October last year in a drugs case. He was granted bail after weeks in judicial custody.

Recently, the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) SIT stated that there is 'no evidence' that Aryan was part of a larger drugs conspiracy.