Filmmaker Karan Johar has said that he feels honoured to have been awarded the Padma Shri alongside colleagues Kangana Ranaut, producer Ekta Kapoor and singer Adnan Sami. He told Mumbai Mirror in an interview that he was too old and wise to hold any malice in his heart for anybody.
Karan was quoted in the publication as saying, “So much has been said about Kangana, me and some kind of rivalry or simmering tension. But at every public event we’ve met, we’ve greeted each other graciously. whatever may have been said or insinuated in print, I think I’m too old and wise to hold any kind of malice in my heart for anybody. As a filmmaker, I respect Kangana’s talent, craft and what she brings to the table. She is an actor who has proved her mettle and is deserving of the honour. Besides Ekta and Adnan Sami, I am honoured to receive the Padma Shri alongside Kangana.”
ALSO WATCH | Kangana Ranaut & Karan Johar’s reaction to Padma Shri honour
He was further asked if the two can collaborate on a project together. He said, “Years ago, a lot was said about Anurag Kashyap and me in print. But when Kurbaan was being made and Rensil (D’Silva, director) told me Anurag was the best person to write the dialogue, I called him up. He was surprised but I felt if he is the best for the job, we should get him. A lot too was written about Ram Gopal Varma and me, but I rang him up for the title of Bhoot and in one second, Ramu said, ‘Take it, Karan’. He was so large-hearted, I respect him for that. Tomorrow, if I have a film for which I need Kangana, I will pick up the phone and call her. Whatever the problem, whatever may have been said on social media, is irrelevant to me. I’m a filmmaker and she’s an artiste and no amount of personal bias should come in the way of that relationship. I believe in that and will stand by it.”
{{/usCountry}}He was further asked if the two can collaborate on a project together. He said, “Years ago, a lot was said about Anurag Kashyap and me in print. But when Kurbaan was being made and Rensil (D’Silva, director) told me Anurag was the best person to write the dialogue, I called him up. He was surprised but I felt if he is the best for the job, we should get him. A lot too was written about Ram Gopal Varma and me, but I rang him up for the title of Bhoot and in one second, Ramu said, ‘Take it, Karan’. He was so large-hearted, I respect him for that. Tomorrow, if I have a film for which I need Kangana, I will pick up the phone and call her. Whatever the problem, whatever may have been said on social media, is irrelevant to me. I’m a filmmaker and she’s an artiste and no amount of personal bias should come in the way of that relationship. I believe in that and will stand by it.”
{{/usCountry}}The statement, however, hasn’t gone down well with Kangana’s sister and manager, Rangoli Chandel. She took to Twitter to slam Karan, while adding that if Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was his idea of a script, then he’d better stay away from her sister. She wrote on Twitter: “Karan Johar ji keh toh aise rahe hain ki jaise phone karne pe Kangana aa jati hai, Bhai saab aapke aur mere chahne se kya hota hai, Kangana ko toh script chahiye hoti hai, kabhi hogi aapke paas uske layak script (Karan Johar believes Kangana is ready for a project with a mere phone call. Kangana wants a good script, would you ever have anything worth her?).”
She said Kangana was furious when she saw Ae Dil Hai Mushkil where a man was apparently seen stalking a woman even as she was getting treated for cancer. Rangoli continued how if such scripts were on his mind, he better stay away from Kangana. She concluded, “Kangana was in shock for a long time, KJO ji agar aisi scripts lekar aaoge toh aapko Bhagwan bhi nahin bacha sakta, please Kangana se door raho, sabki bhalai isi mein hai (If you want to bring scripts such as ADHM for Kangana then even God cannot save you. It is best you stay away from Kangana).”
On the issue of Adnan Sami winning Padma Shri and the controversy surrounding it, Karan, meanwhile, had mentioned that we lived in a democratic country and hence everyone was entitled to his or her opinion. “But Adnan has contributed strongly to the music industry and we must respect the authorities for honouring him.”
Karan was in Italy where he was scouting for locations for his upcoming film, Takht. The film will have a galaxy of stars including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar, Janhvi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor.
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