Defamation case against Kangana: What Javed Akhtar told in court
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Mumbai: In a recent court hearing for a defamation suit filed by Javed Akhtar against actor Kangana Ranaut, the renowned lyricist-poet told what had happened at his home back in 2016. Denying Kangana's allegations of threats and intimidation, Javed Akhtar presented his side of the story, revealing the truth behind the encounter.
During the hearing at the Andheri metropolitan magistrate court in suburban Mumbai, Javed Akhtar clarified that he had no personal acquaintance with Kangana at the time. The meeting was arranged by their mutual friend, Dr Ramesh Agrawal, who felt compelled to offer Kangana advice regarding her public feud with actor Hrithik Roshan.
Addressing the court, Javed Akhtar stated, "It is true that I did not know Kangana, and I have nothing to do with the ongoing controversy with Hrithik. But Kangana was called by Dr Agrawal, who had a close relationship with her. He could call her and insist on her to meet."
Regarding Kangana's emotional state during the meeting, Javed Akhtar clarified that she had arrived at his house with her elder sister Rangoli and appeared "politely" receptive to the discussion. He refuted the claim that she was upset with his statements, emphasizing that she had come to his home fully aware of the purpose of the meeting.
When questioned about Kangana and Rangoli's compliance with attending the meeting, Javed Akhtar pointed out that obedience was not the correct term to describe their visit. He emphasized that he had informed Kangana about the meeting's agenda during a phone call and stressed that it was not an ordinary gathering to discuss trivial matters.
Javed Akhtar also expressed his admiration for Kangana's work as an actor but noted that he shifted the conversation's focus once he realized she was unwilling to listen to his advice regarding the feud with Hrithik Roshan.
The court proceedings stemmed from a 2020 interview in which Kangana Ranaut made allegations against Javed Akhtar. In the interview, Kangana claimed that Akhtar had threatened her and demanded an apology to Hrithik Roshan and his family, stating that failure to comply would result in dire consequences.
Dismissing Kangana's interview statements as "nothing but a lie," Javed Akhtar categorically denied making any threats during the meeting and asserted that the claims were baseless.