Rana Daggubati has found himself in an awkward position after his comments at a recent event went viral. The actor, at an event for the film King Of Kotha headlined by Dulquer Salmaan, spoke about how a “big Hindi cinema heroine” wasted Dulquer's time on set by engaging in a phone call with her London-based partner. Fans lost no time in speculating that Rana Daggubati was talking about Sonam Kapoor, given that Sonam and Dulquer have worked together in The Zoya Factor and Sonam's husband Anand Ahuja is based in London. Following this, Rana Daggubati issued a clarification on X – formerly known as Twitter – and said, “I am genuinely troubled by the negativity that has been aimed at Sonam due to my comments, that are totally untrue and were meant entirely in a light-hearted manner. As friends, we often exchange playful banter, and I deeply regret that my words have been misinterpreted.”
He further added, “I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt apologies to Sonam and Dulquer, both of whom I hold in great esteem. I hope this clarification puts an end to any speculation and misunderstanding. Thank you for your understanding."
Rana Daggubati in his original comment was praising Dulquer Salmaan for his work ethic. In his speech, as per Pinkvilla, Rana Daggubati said, “Dulquer was my junior at acting school. We became friends there. He is a very polite person. He's doing a Hindi movie and the producers are my friends. The shoot was happening near my house. I went there to meet Dulquer. While he was standing in the corner with the spot boy, a big Hindi heroine who was doing that movie was engrossed in a phone conversation about shopping in London with her husband. Her lack of focus affected the shots' quality, frustrating those on set. Despite the disruptions caused by the situation, Dulquer remained patient and understanding, defusing tension and maintaining a harmonious environment,” and added that he [Rana] took up the matter with the producers.
Meanwhile, adding to the ongoing chatter around the matter, Sonam Kapoor has shared a quote from the former First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt on Instagram Stories. She said, “Just a little something I'd like some people to know… especially when discussing things about people that are made up. ‘Small minds discuss people; average minds discuss events; great minds discuss ideas'.”
Screenshot of Sonam Kapoor's Instagram story.
Meanwhile, Dulquer Salmaan's King Of Kotha is scheduled to release worldwide on August 24.