Writer Apurva Asrani on Simran row: I was 'kabab mein haddi' in Hansal Mehta-Kangana Ranaut 'love story'

Apurva Asrani. Picture Courtesy/Midday Archives

National Award-winning film editor and writer Apurva Asrani on Monday took a dig at filmmaker Hansal Mehta and actress Kangana Ranaut by revisiting the Simran row.

The issue started when Mehta, over the weekend, admitted that directing the 2017 release Simran was a mistake. "I supported him (Anna) in good faith. Like I later supported Arvind. I don't regret it. All of us make mistakes. I made Simran," were his exact words on Twitter.

Soon, netizens started expressing displeasure over his statement. Kangana joined in, too, and posted: "That's true Hansal sir, even you will agree with that, I stood by you and now you saying this, feel like singing ‘achcha sila diya tune mere payaar ka'."

To which, Hansal replied: "Firstly, the tweet wasn't about you. Secondly, there are things that happened after the film that left me more than hurt. It made me sorely regret making the film. All said and done you remain a fine, fine actor. And you have my respect for that. And for your kindness."

On Monday, Apurva took note of the conversation, and wrote: "I guess the writer was the kabab mein haddi in this glorious love story. Mistake toh mujhe admit karna chahiye (I guess I should be the one accepting the mistake). #Simran."

The film is about a divorcee named Praful Patel who loses her savings in a gambling bout. She then takes a loan to set things straight, and when she is unable to repay it, she finds herself drawn into a life of crime.

Simran, said to be based on a true story, faced controversy around its release when screenwriter Apurva Asrani alleged that Kangana, who has been credited as additional dialogue and story writer of the project, tried to discredit him by claiming she had developed the story with Mehta from a one-line script. The film turned out to be a dud at the box office.

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