Kangana Ranaut Makes Explosive Allegations Against Karan Johar, Aditya Chopra, Other Bollywood Bigwigs

Indian actress Kangana Ranaut has shaken up the entire country with shocking revelations about the Hindi film industry in an interview with a national news channel over the weekend.

Ranaut has been waging a war against the culture of nepotism in the Hindi film industry since 2016, and her recent revelations come in the wake of actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death on June 14.

Blaming Bollywood bigwigs such as Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra for Rajput’s suicide, Kangana told news channel Republic TV that they allegedly “systematically sidelined” the actor and sabotaged his career.

The actress revealed that Chopra, a producer, allegedly made Rajput sign an “evil” contract that “does not allow artists to do anything without their permission or consulting them.” This reportedly prevented him from signing Sanjay Leela Bhansali's “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela” and “Bajirao Mastani.”

Ranaut also said that Rajput had a showdown with Chopra.

“YRF talent agency had been handling Sushant's work and prevented him from working with other directors, and instead promised him a movie with a big director (Shekhar Kapur),” Ranaut said in her interview with Republic. “That film was canceled too. When Sushant rebuked and claimed autonomy over his career, they had a big showdown and Aditya Chopra told him that 'No one will work with you.’”

Ranaut also said that despite delivering a huge hit with “MS Dhoni: The Untold Story,” director-producer Johar allegedly called Rajput a “flop star” after the pair worked together in “Drive.”

The actress claimed that Johar said, “I can’t sell this film with this flop star.”

“Drive” was Rajput’s last release before his death.

Ranaut, who was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, this year, also launched an attack on fellow actresses Taapsee Pannu and Swara Bhaskar, whom she termed as “needy” outsiders whose “whole existence is a proof of nepotism.”

The actress further said that the police have summoned her, but she asked them to send somebody to take her statement since she is in Manali. She further added that she hasn't heard from them till now.

“I am telling you, if I have said anything, which I can’t testify, which I can’t prove, and which is not in public domain, I will return my Padma Shri. I don’t deserve it. I am not that person who will go on record (to make such statements), and everything that I have said is in public domain,” said Kangana.

In her interview on Sunday, Ranaut also claimed that director and producer Mahesh Bhatt nearly beat her up for rejecting “Dhokha,” a film on the “heroism of a suicide bomber.” She reportedly turned down the movie as she did not identify with the film’s ideology.

The Mumbai Police is currently investigating Rajput’s death to figure out what led to the actor taking his own life.

Rajput’s death has renewed the debate on nepotism within the Hindi film industry.