Hansal Mehta praises Kangana Ranaut despite recent online fight
What's the story
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, who recently found himself in an X/Twitter spat with actor Kangana Ranaut, has now publicly lauded her acting skills.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Mehta praised the "magic" Ranaut can create in front of the camera.
"I am very fond of her. I cannot describe...the camera loves her. Even she is not aware of what magic she can create in front of the camera," he said.
Film collaboration
'We do fight, but I am fond of her'
Mehta also spoke about working with Ranaut on the film Simran, adding that despite their differences, he is fond of her.
"We do fight, but I am fond of her. Very fond of her," he said, adding that the filmmaking process was hard because of financial troubles.
"I had to pay off debts. And it was a bit of a painful journey paying off those debts. Her fans tell me that it was the best film you have made."
Online clash
Mehta's and Ranaut's social media disagreements
The filmmaker and Ranaut recently clashed on social media over comedian Kunal Kamra's controversial stand-up act.
Mehta criticized an abusive tweet targeting Kamra on X/Twitter, and when asked about his silence on the demolition of Ranaut's house, he said, "Was her house vandalized? Did goons enter her premises? Did they do this to challenge her freedom of expression or for alleged FSI violations? Please enlighten me. Maybe I don't know the facts."
Twitter Post
Read Mehta's tweet
Was her house vandalised. Did goons enter her premises? Did they do this to challenge her freedom of expression or for alleged FSI violations? Please enlighten me. Maybe I don’t know the facts. https://t.co/sUQxYr6uow
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) March 25, 2025
Actor's reaction
Ranaut's response to Mehta's comments
Ranaut had also hit back at Mehta's comments by sharing a post on X/Twitter where she wrote, "I had to face abuse and watch my house getting torn down."
She had also taken a jibe at Mehta, calling him "bitter and stupid."
This latest public spat came after several past disagreements between them, including one in 2022 when Mehta clarified that Ranaut didn't take over the editing of Simran but only shot the material.