Kangana Ranaut, Javed Akhtar settle defamation case; actor apologises for inconvenience to lyricist

Mumbai: The long-running legal feud between Bollywood actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar has officially ended, with both parties withdrawing their respective complaints before the Bandra magistrate court on Friday.

The case stemmed from an interview Ranaut gave in July 2020 following actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death. Akhtar subsequently filed a defamation complaint against her in November 2020, alleging that her statements damaged his reputation. In response, Ranaut lodged a counter-complaint in September 2021, accusing Akhtar of criminal intimidation and attempting to coerce her into issuing an apology to actor Hrithik Roshan.

The special magistrate court, which handles cases involving MPs and MLAs, officially disposed of the matter after both parties opted for mediation.

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 and I undertake not to repeat the same in future,” she submitted. The 38-year-old 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.