Media demands apology from Kangana Ranaut: Here's why
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.
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."
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.
Here's a video of the argument between Ranaut and Rao
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.
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."
Here is Chandel's tweet on the demand for an apology
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."
Chandel also shared 'evidence' of Rao's alleged 'smear campaign'
Chandel called Rao a 'wolf in sheep's clothing'
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.
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."
