Bollywood star and BJP member of parliament Kangana Ranaut and veteran songwriter Javed Akhtar have amicably closed their four-year-old defamation lawsuit through mediation, bringing an end to the drawn-out legal procedure. Under the terms of settlement, Ranaut also issued a public apology to Akhtar for any "discomfort" generated to him.
Both parties were cleared by two separate orders passed by the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court, and the case was officially "disposed as withdrawn."
The controversy started in July 2020 when Akhtar made a defamation complaint against Ranaut, alleging she had defamed his reputation by associating his name with the scandal surrounding the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in a television interview. In turn, Ranaut subsequently made a counter-complaint of criminal intimidation and insult to modesty.
According to the mediation report presented to the court, Ranaut admitted that her words uttered in the July 19, 2020 interview and subsequently were a result of a "misunderstanding." She declared, "I hereby unconditionally withdraw all the statements made by me… and I undertake not to repeat the same in the future." She also declared her respect for Akhtar, adding, "I apologise for the inconvenience caused to Mr. Javed Akhtar, who is one of the seniormost members of the film fraternity, and I have the highest respect for him."
Subsequently, Ranaut retracted her complaint against the renowned lyricist. In return, Akhtar also consented to withdraw his case of defamation, saying in his report on mediation, "In view of the statements made by Ms. Kangana Ranaut, I agree to withdraw the complaint."
After the settlement, the couple went to the special magistrate court, where they officially expressed their will to retract all legal grievances against one another. Accepting their affirmations, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate A.K. Awari decreed that since both parties had amicably settled their issues under mediation, their acquittal was given and the complaints were wound up.
Ranaut had earlier accused Akhtar of threatening her in 2016, when they had a meeting at his house, and demanding an apology from a co-star. But after much negotiation, both parties came to an agreement.
Ranaut's attorney, Rizwan Siddiquee, and Akhtar's lawyer, Jay Kumar Bhardwaj, verified that the matter was resolved after a one-hour mediation proceeding at the special magistrate court in Bandra. Siddiquee said, "We had been looking at mediation for a long time. Drafts were circulated, and today we finalized the language, signed on the documents, and formally withdrew both cases.
The case was first being heard by a magistrate court in Andheri. But following Ranaut's election as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, in 2024, the case was shifted to a special magistrate court meant for cases of MPs and MLAs.
Akhtar's initial complaint arose out of Ranaut's comments on a so-called "coterie" in Bollywood during an interview after the tragic death of Sushant Singh Rajput.
In a post on social media following the settlement, Ranaut had posted a picture of herself alongside Akhtar, thanking him for his graciousness in mediation. She wrote, "Today, Javedji and I have amicably settled our legal dispute (defamation case) through mediation. Javed ji has been extremely kind and gracious in the whole process. He has also consented to composing songs for my next directorial."
This friendly settlement brings an end to a widely publicized legal battle between the two celebrated figures of the movie world.
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