Actor Hrithik Roshan has spoken in detail - relatively speaking - about Kangana Ranaut and his sister Sunaina, both of whom have made controversial allegations about him in the recent past, in an interview with Hindustan Times. Hrithik, 45, spent a year trading insults and legal notices with Kangana over an alleged bad romance and now generally opts for dignified silence in the face of a Twitter offensive by Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel. The actor and his family have also refused to comment directly on Sunaina Roshan's claims of being persecuted because of an alleged relationship with a Muslim journalist.
Asked about Kangana Ranaut, Hrithik Roshan told Hindustan Times, "I have come to realise that bullies have to be treated with a certain amount of patience, and not be engaged with. It is upon the civil society and those who claim to be just and fair to see and observe if there is harassment."
Hrithik Roshan's new film Super 30 was originally supposed to release on the same date as Kangana's Judgmentall Hai Kya? After days of headlines and tweets from Rangoli, Hrithik announced that he would reschedule his film to save himself 'personal trauma and toxic mental violence.' He sees it as something of an unwinnable spot to be in. "Being who I am, if I choose to confront as per laws, I become the aggressor. If I withdraw from a film-clash that I know has been pre designed, then I become a weakling penning a sob story. I have learned to not get affected by either," Hrithik told Hindustan Times.
Hrithik Roshan's main opposition, he said, are the 'enablers who have allowed this circus to continue.' He didn't explain who these were. "To be honest, my only grouse is with those supposedly 'enlightened' people who praise and often cheer this behaviour in the name of 'new' and 'refreshing audacity', without any desire to be rational or truthful. They are the enablers who have allowed this circus to continue for six years," Hrithik said. Also, he has no direct legal case with Kangana - he calls her 'the lady' rather than by name - "because apparently a guy cannot be stalked in India."
Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut, co-stars of the films Kites and Krrish 3, have been embroiled in a public and ugly feud for the last couple of years, which was recently given new life after Hrithik's sister Sunaina went public about allegedly 'living in hell.' She claimed that her father Rakesh Roshan had hit her because she was allegedly dating a Muslim man; she also claimed her parents didn't give her enough money and that Hrithik had not only failed to stand by her but also reneged on a promise to provide her with an apartment of her own. "I support Kangana all through," Sunaina Roshan said in a tweet; Rangoli backed her up with tweets alleging that the Roshans hit and sedated her and that Hrithik's PR had circulated a rumour that she was bipolar.
Asked about Sunaina, Hrithik Roshan used the same phrase his ex-wife Sussanne Khan had used in a statement issued some weeks ago - 'unfortunate situation.' He also implied that concerns about Sunaina's mental health are valid. "This is an internal, private and sensitive matter for me and my family. In didi's current state, it would not be correct of me to speak about her. It is an unfortunate situation that probably many families are going through and are as helpless as we are, owing to stigmas and an incredibly weak medical infrastructure in this country for such cases," Hrithik Roshan told Hindustan Times.
A friend of the Roshans has claimed in an interview that the family objected to Sunaina's alleged boyfriend not because he was Muslim but because they believe he is already married and are also concerned by a reluctance to publicly acknowledge Sunaina as a romantic partner. Hrithik reiterated the first part of this: "Religion is not even a thing in my family. It has never been discussed or been given importance whatsoever in my entire life. And I would like to believe that it is obvious to the world by now," he said.
Hrithik Roshan's Super 30, in which he plays educationist Anand Kumar, releases this Friday.
