WEB DESK: The prolonged legal conflict between lyricist Javed Akhtar and actress Kangana Ranaut has recently reached its conclusion after over four years. In February 2025, both parties decided to withdraw their respective complaints in a Mumbai court, seemingly ending their contentious dispute.
Javed Akhtar had filed a defamation lawsuit against Kangana Ranaut in July 2020, accusing her of tarnishing his reputation by linking his name to the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
In response, Kangana leveled a counter-complaint, alleging that Akhtar had intimidated her and insulted her dignity. Their legal struggle persisted for several years before reaching a resolution through mediation in early 2025.
Both parties, accompanied by their legal representatives, appeared before a magistrate court in Bandra, Mumbai, where they agreed to withdraw their complaints.
During the proceedings, Kangana acknowledged that her previous remarks were made amid a misunderstanding and offered an apology, stating, “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 the future.” Akhtar accepted her apology and agreed to dismiss his complaint.
Following the resolution, Kangana shared a photo with Javed Akhtar on Instagram, expressing her relief and gratitude. She wrote, “Today Javed ji and I have resolved our legal matter (defamation case) through mediation. In the mediation, Javed ji has been very kind and gracious; he also agreed to write songs for my next directorial.”
However, Shabana Azmi, who is Javed Akhtar’s wife, has shed light on an important detail regarding the settlement. She disclosed that while the outcome was reported as a mutual agreement, Javed specifically sought a written apology from Kangana instead of any financial recompense. Quoting Bollywood Hungama, she remarked, “They had asked for no monetary compensation but for her apology in writing. The victory is his and his lawyer Jay Bhardwaj’s.”
She expressed her bewilderment over the media’s portrayal of the situation, stating, “I’m mystified why the press made it seem as though it was a mutual settlement but did not mention that it was the apology in writing that he was seeking and why he had fought the case for four and a half years.”
