Padmavati row: Kangana bats for Deepika but boycotts Shabana Azmi’s letter

MUMBAI: Actress Kangana Ranaut has cleared the air to the rumours surrounding her ‘refusal’ to sign “Deepika Bachao campaign” letter.

The National award-winning actor said that she is with Deepika Padukone and has all her support but she did not sign the petition initiated by veteran actress Shabana Azmi.

The ‘Queen’ actress said that she wouldn’t sign the petition as it is “lead by someone who character assassinated me when I was bullied.”

“I was filming Manikarnika in Jodhpur, got a call from my dear friend Anushka Sharma to sign the petition written by Ms Shabana Azmi, I explained to Anushka that Deepika Padukone has all my support but I am a bit wary of Shabana Azmi’s investment in left wing vs right wing politics,” Kangana said in a recently released statement.

“I have my own set of ideas and opinions about the current situation in our country, I am on the fence about many things and being a part of a feminist movement called ‘Deepika bachao’ lead by someone who character assassinated me when I was bullied, seems to be one of them, ” she said.

“Anushka understood but I am glad they reached out to me, like I said Deepika has all my support I am an individual perfectly capable of supporting who I like without anyone’s support,” she added.

ALSO READ: Padmavati row: Kangana says a straight ‘NO’ to ‘Deepika Bachao’ campaign

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Padmavati, the period drama has been in the line of fire with various Rajput groups and political leaders accusing the filmmaker of “distorting historical facts” and depicting queen Padmavati in the wrong light.

It was rumoured that there is a romantic dream sequence in the film between Padmavati (Deepika) and Sultan Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh), a claim which the director has time and again rejected.