Media demands apology from Kangana Ranaut: Here's why
What's the story
At a launch event for a song from her upcoming film Judgementall Hai Kya?, Kangana Ranaut got into a spat with a journalist.
The 32-year-old actor accused the journalist of "running a smear campaign" against her and now the media fraternity demands an apology from Ranaut.
Meanwhile, her sister and manager, Rangoli Chandel, said the actor will never apologize.
Here's all that happened.
Launch event
Fight started over journalist's alleged criticism of 'Manikarnika'
At the launch event, the journalist identified himself as Justin Rao to Ranaut, following which, the actor slammed him for dissing at her previous release Manikarnika.
She also accused the journalist of calling her a "jingoistic woman," adding, "You have been doing a smear campaign against me."
In his defense, Rao said, "You cannot intimidate a journalist, because you're at a powerful position."
Information
Ranaut later claimed she was 'friends' with journalist; he denied
When an event manager interrupted, another journalist started yelling. Producer Ekta Kapoor apologized for the interruption and Ranaut continued to say that she candidly raised the issue given her "friendly equation" with the journalist, but Rao maintained their relationship was strictly professional.
Twitter Post
Here's a video of the argument between Ranaut and Rao
#WATCH Kangana Ranaut has a spat with a reporter, accuses him of smear campaign, at the 'Judgementall Hai Kya' song launch event in Mumbai. (07.07.2019) pic.twitter.com/sNuWduY3yg
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2019
Apology demand
Media fraternity demands apology from Ranaut; threatens boycott
Now, it has been reported that the media fraternity would meet with Kapoor to demand a public apology from Ranaut in solidarity with Rao.
The journalists threatened that failure to give an apology will result in a media boycott of all promotions for Judgementall Hai Kya?, scheduled for a release on July 26.
Chandel, however, wasn't very happy about the journalists' threat.
Reaction
Kangana will never apologize: Chandel
On Ranaut's behalf, Chandel refused the request for an apology from the actor. Chandel tweeted, "I will promise you one thing. Kangana will never apologize to venal, anti-national libtards, pimping out the nation."
Issuing a threat against journalists, Chandel added, "She will get you to fall in line. Just wait and watch. You've demanded an apology from the wrong person."
Twitter Post
Here is Chandel's tweet on the demand for an apology
Ek baat ka main vaada karti hoon, Kangana se apology toh nahin milegi, in bikau, nange, deshdrohi, desh ke dalal, libtard mediawalon ko, magar woh tumko dho dho kar sidha zaroor karegi ... just wait and watch, tumne galat insaan se maafi mangi hai ... 🙏 pic.twitter.com/gm8UvupO3S
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) July 9, 2019
Backstory
Chandel slammed Rao for mocking freedom-fighter; urged government action
Meanwhile, in a series of incendiary tweets starting Monday, Chandel lashed out at Rao and anyone supporting him.
She slammed Rao for mocking a freedom-fighter (Rani Laxmibai) and urged government action.
She wrote, "It's a shame that Rao used to pretend to be her friend, but when she spoke against cow slaughter and made a nationalist film, he did a major smear campaign."
Twitter Post
Chandel also shared 'evidence' of Rao's alleged 'smear campaign'
Yesh dekho beshram @JustinJRao journalist ko, woh jisne tumhe aazadi di hai, usi ki khilli udao, How dare he mock Manikarnika’s name and openly lie that he never wrote anything about it, lekin Kangana ko khilli udane wali hasi kabhi nahin bhoolti....(contd) pic.twitter.com/S5tThLSgLp
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) July 8, 2019
Twitter Post
Chandel called Rao a 'wolf in sheep's clothing'
Yeh dekho always trolling her for no reason, she has the right to say no to such cheap People, you don’t like Kangana its fine but don’t expect her to hug you and respond to your sly double faced friendship in public when she knows you are a bhediya bhed ki khaal mein...(contd) pic.twitter.com/BhzJF3T7Ne
— Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) July 8, 2019
Fact-check
Do Rao's social media posts constitute a 'smear campaign'?
To note, Rao's Facebook post dated September 2, mocks the film Manikarnika's name, presumably to poke fun at the then controversy surrounding Ranaut on the sets of the film.
In the August 13 Facebook post, Rao merely quotes Ranaut from a Mid-Day interview, sardonically adding, "Feminist icon of our country, guys."
In his tweets, cited by Chandel, Rao mocks Ranaut's critique of an 'apolitical' Alia Bhatt.
Quote
All the libtards are getting offended, rants Chandel
In her tweets from Tuesday, Chandel ridiculed the media boycott, saying, "You media persons have called her 'mental', 'chudail', 'whore', 'black magic witch'... Look where she is now. Get lost. All the libtards are getting offended. That was the idea."
Targeting another journalist, she wrote, "Biting the hand that feeds you- you're a traitor to the Indian soil; a blotch on media."