Kangana, Akhtar happily settle 4-year-long defamation case; post picture together
What's the story
Bollywood actor and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut has announced that her four-year-long legal battle with legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar has been resolved.
The news was shared by Ranaut on Instagram on Friday, where she posted a picture with Akhtar and said that their defamation case has been settled through mediation.
This legal battle stemmed from a 2016 meeting at Akhtar's residence where he allegedly asked Ranaut to apologize to Hrithik Roshan amid their public feud.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The legal battle escalated when Akhtar filed a defamation complaint against Ranaut over her public comments about their 2016 meeting.
This was during a televised interview after actor Sushant Singh Rajput's alleged suicide in 2020.
In turn, Ranaut filed her own complaint accusing Akhtar of pressuring her to apologize to Roshan.
However, proceedings against Akhtar were stayed by the Dindoshi Sessions Court, and both parties agreed to mediation in December 2024.
Mediation details
'Javed ji has been very kind and gracious'
Along with a picture with Akhtar, Ranaut wrote on Instagram, "Javed ji and I have resolved our legal matter (defamation case) through mediation."
She added further, "In the mediation, Javed ji has been very kind and gracious, he also agreed to write songs for my next directorial."
Earlier in the day, Ranaut was spotted leaving a Mumbai court dressed in a pink saree.
Legal proceedings
Court had warned Ranaut with non-bailable warrant
Meanwhile, the court had recently issued a non-bailable warrant against Ranaut after she skipped a mediation meeting to settle the defamation case.
The actor told the Bandra court that her parliamentary work kept her from attending the session.
On the professional front, Ranaut was recently seen in her directorial film Emergency, in which she portrayed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Released on January 17, the film also featured Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Milind Soman.