Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut speaking to Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami opened up on the latest controversy over the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the role of the ‘movie mafia’ behind the systematic discrimination in the movie industry which could have resulted in the death of the 34-year-old actor.
The three-time national award winner did not mince her words in referring to the late actor’s death as ‘murder’, accused big producers, directors, and film-makers, calling them to be a part of ‘movie mafia’, who ‘systematically sabotaged’ Sushant Singh’s career.
The 34-year-old Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment on June 14. The postmortem report said that the actor died due to asphyxia caused because of hanging. However, many believed that the actor ended his life due to the discrimination in the industry and the prevailing nepotism in Bollywood.
Why were powerful not questioned in the case: Kangana Ranaut
The Bollywood star, calling the ongoing interrogation by Mumbai Police a ‘complete sham’, said that the Mumbai Police have failed to summon powerful people who are being questioned in the public domain or the ones who pushed him into a depressed state of mind.
Kangana Ranaut, questioning the Mumbai Police, asked why have cops still have not summoned the ‘powerful’ people. She added, “What gives these people the license to say things like ‘Your end is near’ for artists? If they (Mahesh Bhatt) knew Sushant wasn’t feeling well, why didn’t they call his father and tell that your son is not well? Why did Rhea call Mahesh Bhatt? Who is he?”
#KanganaSpeaksToArnab | Kangana Ranaut minces no words on Nation Wants To Know with Arnab Goswami. Stay tuned to watch here – https://t.co/RZHKU3wOei@KanganaTeam pic.twitter.com/0oH2CAU9kS
— Republic (@republic) July 17, 2020
Ranaut further said she was summoned, but told them to send someone to take her statement in Manali. I haven’t received anything after that, she said. Ranaut stressed that Mumbai Police should summon two big Bollywood producers — Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra.
Calls out production houses for restricting Sushant Singh Rajput
Kangana Ranaut also accused top production house, Yash Raj Films of being responsible for causing mental harassment to late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
She also disclosed that Rajput was “hired” by YRF’s talent agency to manage his professional choices. However, she said that the company’s policies and its contract with artists were “evil” as they are restrictive and do not allow actors to make independent choices.
Sushant got very important big-budget films, but could not commit to this big opportunity as his contract with Yash Raj Films forbade him from signing other films, said Kangana Ranaut. Kangana claimed that Ranveer Singh, who was hired by YRF similar to Sushant, was allowed to do a lead role in Bhansali’s films instead.
She clearly stated that Sushant Singh Rajput’s contract with YRF restricted his progress and did not allow him to foray into other films. Kangana attacking Aditya Chopra, said that the producer did not even bother to compensate for Sushant’s missed opportunity. Kangana alleged Chopra was instrumental in ‘ensuring his doom’.
Javed Akhtar said she will end her life someday: Kangana Ranaut
In a shocking disclosure, Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has revealed that the controversial song-writer Javed Ahktar had asked the actress to apologise to Hrithik Roshan failing which she might end up taking her own life.
Speaking to Republic TV, Kangana Ranaut exposed the notorious “suicide gang” in the Bollywood industry by alleging that filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, among others, as a part of it.
Hats off to Kangana Ranaut for having SURVIVED Bollywood!! Javed Akhtar told her “If you dont apologise to Hrithik Roushan you will have to commit Suicidе!! #KanganaRanaut #KanganaSpeaksToArnab pic.twitter.com/0VpoR8zIOU
— Rosy (@rose_k01) July 18, 2020
Narrating a personal experience dealing with these individuals, Kangana alleged that Javed Akhtar had enough political connections to get away with pretty much anything in Mumbai and recalled the intimidation she was subjected to by these people a few years ago.
Kangana recalled how during the Hrithik Roshan controversy, Javed Akhtar had allegedly asked her to apologize to Hrithik.
She revealed, “I call this gang ‘suicide gang’. Akhtar called me to his house and said clearly, ‘If you don’t apologise to Hrithik Roshan, you will have to commit suicide. They will put you in jail, they have found evidence.’ I asked him, ‘What evidence? What have I done?’. To this, Javed Akhtar said, “Tere mooh kaala ho jaayega, tu jaayegi kaha?”(“You will be disgraced, where will you go?”)
The Bollywood actress also revealed that Mahesh Bhatt was Javed Akhtar’s dear friend and said that they can intimidate any person with such subtle threats.
Mahesh Bhatt instrumental in causing distress to Sushant: Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut alleged that Mahesh Bhatt was instrumental in causing distress to Sushant Singh Rajput’s mental health. She also recalled the ‘mafia hangover’, said Mahesh Bhatt gets offended if any artist declines his offer. She revealed that Mahesh Bhatt had thrown his footwear at her when she rejected his film and questioned its content.
Kangana also hit out at Mahesh Bhatt in her videos, and did so once again during the interview. She said she was offered a film Dhokha, where a female Muslim suicide bomber was to be glorified. She said that the premise of the film was such that a woman was tortured so much she became a suicide bomber. Kangana said that even at 18 she knew becoming a suicide bomber for ‘avenging’ torture was not to be glorified. “He yelled at me. He was about to come on to me like he was going to beat me. His daughter had to hold him back,” she said. She further alleged that Bhatt chased him when she went for screening of the film ‘Woh Lamhe’.
Kangana Ranaut questioning the role of director Mahesh Bhatt in Sushant Singh Rajput’s life, she asked, “Why was he counselling Sushant?” She added, “What gives these people the license to say things like ‘Your end is near’ for artists? If they knew Sushant wasn’t feeling well, why didn’t they call his father and tell that your son is not well?”
“What was Mahesh Bhatt doing between Rhea and him? Everyone wants to know. Why is Mumbai Police not calling Mahesh Bhatt for questioning?”
Wanted to commit suicide after personal targeting: Kangana Ranaut
Speaking to Republic TV editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, the ‘Queen’ actor Kangana Ranaut said that she at one point of time had contemplated of committing suicide after facing systematic suicide in the industry.
Recalling the 2016 incident, Kangana said, “I signed 19 brands after my blockbuster 2016. Then my ex from 2013 filed a case against me. Now, these corporates have a clause that if an actor has a legal case running, the brands should drop them. And they dropped me.”
#KanganaSpeaksToArnab | I never thought of killing myself. But I wanted to shave my head off and disappear. I could not show my face in my village as there ‘Izzat’ is everything: Kangana Ranaut, Actress @KanganaTeam
— Republic (@republic) July 18, 2020
Watch here live: https://t.co/rGQJsiKgt2 pic.twitter.com/lHoTycjYYx
“Someone like me who’s got 3 National Awards and a Padmashri only on the basis of acting would never make it to Karan Johar’s good actor list, Sushant also never made it to his list. 18 brands dropped me within 2 months. Where are my options? Maybe I didn’t have the thought of killing myself but definitely shaving my head off and disappearing,” the Bollywood actress revealed. She said she was labelled a ‘man-eater’ and ‘daayan‘ (witch) because of the rumours.
She added, “My relatives didn’t let their children meet me because you turned me into a nymphomaniac. Called me so many things in public. As a girl, having a marriage and a child is no more an option for me. They turned Sushant also into a rapist. How will he go back to Bihar? Small cities don’t value money, they value respect”.
Aditya Chopra said you are finished for refusing his film
The multi-award winner Kangana Ranaut said she was threatened by producer-director Aditya Chopra when she refused to work in Salman Khan-starrer ‘Sultan’.
“When I said NO for Sultan, Aditya Chopra told me that he will never work with me,” Kangana said in her interview with Arnab Goswami.
Kangana Ranaut said that she knew the internal workings of this industry is only through her own experience. She revealed that she did not want to work with Khans after delivering a blockbuster on her own. Reacting to this, Aditya Chopra apparently said to her that, “You are finished”.
“The director came to my house and narrated the script. I had a meeting with Aditya Chopra… just so that I could express my apologies in person and he was fine at the time. But later a news piece came out saying ‘Kangana said No to Sultan’. And then he messaged me, ‘How dare you?! You say No to me’. And then he told me, ‘You are finished’,” Kangana said.
Will give up my Padma Shri if I fail to prove charges: Kangana Ranaut
The Bollywood star also said that she was ready to return her Padma Shri if she failed to prove her statements in the investigation of the case.
“I am telling you, if I have said anything, which I can’t testify, which I can’t prove, and which is not in the public domain, I will return my Padma Shri. I don’t deserve it. I am not that person who will go on record (to make such statements), and everything that I have said is in public domain,” Kangana Ranaut said.
The death of Sushant Singh Rajput has opened a can of worms as there has been a raging debate across the country regarding nepotism and favoritism to star kids in the industry, which resulted in 34-year-old self-made actor committing suicide. Following that, Bollywood biggies like Kangana Ranaut have stepped their attack on the movie-mafia in the country, especially targetting Mahesh Bhatt and Karan Johar.
