Filmmaker Hansal Mehta and actor-MP Kangana Ranaut found themselves in an online altercation today over the controversy surrounding stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s jokes targeting Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. This online spat between Mehta and Ranaut, who had previously worked together on the 2017 film Simran, comes amid a larger debate over the vandalism of a Mumbai studio in protest of Kamra’s remarks. Kamra, who has faced multiple legal actions for his jokes about Shinde, now Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, has sparked a wider conversation, particularly as the civic body cracks down on the studio for alleged building law violations.
Mehta had initially flagged an abusive post aimed at Kamra. In response, an X user questioned why the filmmaker had not spoken out about the demolition of Ranaut’s property in 2020, when she faced action during the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. The user referenced the incident, where Ranaut's house was demolished under questionable circumstances, and noted the lack of a response from Mehta at the time.
They called me names like haramkhor, threatened me, served a notice late in the night to my watchman and next morning before courts could open bulldozers demolished the entire house. High court called the demolition completely illegal.
— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) March 25, 2025
They laughed at it and raised a toast to… https://t.co/eUF54JQqOp
Kangana Responds to Mehta’s Comments
Ranaut responded to the criticism, recalling her own experience. "They called me names like haramkhor, threatened me, served a notice late at night to my watchman, and the next morning, before the courts could open, bulldozers demolished the entire house. The High Court declared the demolition completely illegal," she wrote. Ranaut also described how those involved mocked her pain and public humiliation, adding that they "laughed and raised a toast" at her expense.
The actor then launched a personal attack on Mehta’s work, criticizing his films as "third-class." "Your insecurity and mediocrity have made you bitter, stupid, and blinded," Ranaut said. "Don’t try to sell your dumb lies and agendas here regarding my struggles. Stay out of it." Mehta, known for critically acclaimed films like Shahid and Aligarh, as well as the popular series Scam 1992, responded briefly with: "Get well soon."
Mehta Shares His Own Experience of Intimidation
In a post yesterday, Mehta reflected on his own experience of facing similar treatment in Maharashtra. He shared how, 25 years ago, loyalists of the same political party (then undivided) stormed into his office, vandalized it, physically assaulted him, and forced him to publicly apologize for a single line of dialogue in one of his films. Mehta explained, “The line was harmless, almost trivial. The film had already been cleared by the Censor Board with 27 other cuts, but that didn’t matter."
He recalled the public apology, which was overseen by 20 political figures and witnessed by 10,000 onlookers and the Mumbai Police. "That incident didn’t just bruise my body. It bruised my spirit. It blunted my filmmaking, muted my courage, and silenced parts of me that took years to reclaim," Mehta wrote.
A Call for Dialogue and Dignity
Despite the harsh provocations, Mehta made it clear that no matter the disagreement, violence, intimidation, or humiliation could never be justified. "We owe ourselves, and each other, better," he said in his post. "We owe ourselves dialogue, dissent, and dignity."
