Kangana Ranaut Apologises To Javed Akhtar Because Of This!

Kangana Ranaut Apologises To Javed Akhtar 

The prolonged court battle between Bollywood actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has come to an end officially, as both sides have withdrawn their respective cases before the Bandra magistrate court on Friday.

The litigation was triggered after Ranaut took an interview in July 2020 after actor Sushant Singh Rajput's demise. Akhtar, in turn, filed a defamation complaint against her in November 2020 alleging that she slandered his image. As retaliation, Ranaut filed a counter-complaint against him in September 2021, claiming Akhtar criminally intimidated and pressured her into seeking an apology on behalf of actor Hrithik Roshan.

In her statement, Ranaut admitted that her remarks from the July 2020 interview were made due to a misunderstanding. “I hereby unconditionally withdraw all the statements made by me in the interview dated 19.07.2020 and thereafter, I undertake not to repeat the same in future,” she submitted. The actor also apologised for any inconvenience caused to Akhtar, acknowledging her respect for him and agreeing to withdraw her complaint.

Advocate Jay Kumar Bhardwaj, representing Akhtar, stated that the 80-year-old lyricist decided to withdraw his complaints after considering Ranaut’s statement. The court acquitted both parties following the mediator’s report.

Akhtar’s defamation case stemmed from Ranaut’s television interview, in which she had accused him of being part of “Bollywood’s suicide brigade” and claimed that he had threatened her at his residence in March 2016. Ranaut alleged that Akhtar had pressured her to apologise to Hrithik Roshan, warning her of dire consequences if she refused.

In retaliation, Ranaut sought to prosecute Akhtar under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those related to extortion, criminal intimidation, and insulting the modesty of a woman. While a magistrate court in Andheri issued proceedings against Akhtar in July 2023, the order was later stayed by a sessions court in Dindoshi in August 2023.

Following Ranaut’s election as an MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, the defamation case was transferred to the special magistrate court for elected representatives. The hearings had reached the stage of Ranaut’s cross-examination when both parties opted for mediation, leading to the amicable settlement.

With the legal dispute now resolved, the court formally closed the case.