National Award-winning filmmaker and scriptwriter Apurva Asrani, who was recently fired as the editor of Simran, has opened up via a Facebook post about what led to the break between him and Aligarh director Hansal Mehta.
Although the split between Asrani and Mehta split was amicable, Asrani recently posted his side of the story on Facebook. He said that crediting Kangana Ranaut as a co-writer became the bone of contention between him and Mehta and Kangana Ranaut.
While Asrani lauded Ranaut for making it big in Bollywood despite being an outsider, he said it was “demeaning for any writers name to be pushed after an additional writing credit”. Asrani features as the “story, screenplay and dialogue writer” in the poster but his name appears after Ranaut. Ranaut has also said in several interviews that the film was initially a serious thriller, but transformed into a fun film because of her.
“This completely discredits me and my efforts, and I have to call out this lie at the cost of so many of her fans turning against me. Those that know me will know that I have always strived for the truth, and that is more important to me than a hit film,” writes Asrani.
He explains how the concept of Simran came to him after reading about an American woman who crossed the line of the law in the news. From there, his work on the script took shape.
“I signed a contract with Hansal’s company Karma Features, developed the idea into an original story and wrote a one-line screenplay. Hansal loved it, and took me to meet Kangana. She heard the narration and jumped at it. She told us she would do it!”
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He writes about how he began his research and wrote nine drafts of the story, which took a year and a half. “With each draft I went deeper into the character, I gave her an identity, motives and colour. Both Kangana and Hansal gave me valuable inputs. I incorporated some, rejected some. They were always happy with the outcome. I have proof of this. Besides, writers write for the director and his/her approval is the final word for us,” he writes.
He said he did not see this turn of events coming. “It was only the day after I finished the first cut of the film that Hansal called me to meet. He informed me nervously that Kangana is turning director and therefore has demanded a co writer credit,” he wrote, adding that Mehta and co-producer Shailesh tried to arm twist him into giving her co-writer credit.
With Asrani claiming that Ranaut discredited him as a writer in several interviews, he now wishes that his “dear friend Hansal show some spine and either refute or endorse” his story.
Simran is slated to release on 15 September. The film’s teaser was recently released.
Read the full Facebook post here:
Feature Image: YouTube