Kangana Ranaut Apologises To Javed Akhtar In Defamation Case

Putting a quietus to a nearly five-year-old legal spat, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday 'unconditionally' apologised to Lyricist and Poet Javed Akhtar for making 'defamatory' comments against him and dragging his name into the death of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. 

Both Ranaut and Akhtar finally settled their defamation complaints on Wednesday, by personally appearing before the court.

According to Ranaut's statement recorded before the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Bandra, she has said that whatever she stated on July 19, 2020, in her interview with Arnab Goswami, were 'a result of misunderstandings.'

The parliamentarian from Mandi, Ranaut has therefore, unconditionally withdrawn her statements against Akhtar (as made in the interview) and has undertaken not to 'repeat the same' in future. 

"I apologise for the inconvenience caused to Mr Javed Akhtar, who is one of the senior-most members of the film fraternity and I have high regards for him," Ranaut has stated before the Mumbai Court.

In view of this, Akhtar too agreed to withdraw his complaint against Ranaut.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate AK Awari, while accepting the 'settlement' between the parties, disposed of the defamation case pending before him.

Background: 

Akhtar had in December 2020 filed a private complaint before a Magistrate Court alleging defamation against accused Ranaut of damaging his "immaculate reputation by falsely attributing statements to him," in her interview with Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami, on July 19. 

In his complaint, Akhtar had said that he is a self-made man, who reached Mumbai on October 4, 1964, with Rs 27, two pairs of clothes and a few books. He was 19 then.

"The complainant is one of the most senior artists in the film industry with his successful career spanning over more than 55 years, which in itself is a rare achievement. Apart from this, he was also nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha during the period March 2010 to March 2016," the plea stated about Akhtar's reputation.

In an interview that lasts 57-minutes, Akhtar claimed that Ranaut was seen giving her opinion on the circumstances surrounding Rajput's death without any direct personal knowledge. His plea further stated that the defamatory statements were made against him during this interview.

"…needlessly dragging the complainant's name into an unconnected, sensitive matter is tantamount to extending veiled threats to the complainant, who is an extremely respectable member of the film fraternity," the plea had said.