Kangana Ranaut's Director Angry Over 'Malicious Gossip' About Her Simran Duties

New Delhi: Months after Apurva Asrani, the writer of Kangana Ranaut's new film Simran, pointed out that the actress has been unduly credited for 'additional story, screenplay and dialogue', there came a statement from director Hansal Mehta. In visibly angry words, Mr Mehta appeared to address recent speculation that the editor of the film has been removed from the post and that Kangana has taken up the job instead. According to some reports, the decision was taken after the actress was reportedly not satisfied with first edit of the film. "All this speculation is false, malicious and totally fabricated. I collaborate closely with my team and my actors are an integral part of that collaboration," Mehta said in a statement, reported news agency IANS.

Earlier in June, Apurva Asrani wrote a lengthy Facebook post alleging that Mr Mehta and Simran's co-producer Shailesh Singh convinced him to credit Kangana for co-writing the film. Mr Apurva's post discarded Kangana's claim that she worked on a single line screenplay to make it into a 'fun, light film' from what could have been 'dark, gritty thriller' as a 'lie.' Mr Mehta, who came to Kangana's defence then, has also responded to the controversy about the film's post production like this: "It angers me that every time some malicious gossip has to be spread people meaninglessly drag Kangana into their stupid machinations. She is a valued friend, actor and collaborator. Period," he said in his statement, revealed IANS. Apurva Asrani and Hansal Mehta have previously worked for films like Shahid and Aligarh.

In a separate interview, Apurva had also told Mumbai Mirror: "About the additional dialogue credit, Kangana totally deserves it. She improvised on many of the dialogues and did a remarkable job. There is some hurt over the way things were announced without consulting me. I didn't know that Hansal had promised Kangana part of the writing credit till I had finished the edit. By the time I got to know, the announcement had been made."

Earlier, Apurva made his disapproval for crediting Kangana public by writing in his Facebook post he's 'shocked and betrayed' about the director's decision and met with a rather cold response on Mr Mehta's part. "Kangana has collaborated on story and dialogues as clarified earlier," the director wrote in a tweet.

In his statement, Mr Mehta also addressed reports, which did the rounds on the Internet a while ago, mentioning a reported show-down between the filmmaker and his long-time associate Vishal Bhardwaj. "I'm even more hurt that some malicious person chooses to drag my relationship with Vishal Bhardwaj into this malice. Vishal is one of my dearest friends and if I am making films today it is because of him. I would never say anything that could remotely even hurt or upset somebody I love so dearly and to whom I am so grateful," Hansal Mehta stated, reported by IANS. Mr Mehta and the Haider director have worked together for films like 2007's Dus Kahaniyaan and 2000's Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar.

Meanwhile, there has been no response on the recent speculation from the actress yet. Simran, which has expensively been shot in the US, is scheduled to hit screens on September 15. The film's cast also includes names like Esha Tewari, Rupinder Nagra, Sohum Shah, and Aneesha Joshi.

Kangana Ranaut was last seen in Vishal Bhardwaj's Rangoon and also has the biopic Manikarnika: Rani of Jhansi in the pipeline.

(With IANS inputs)