The Kangana Ranaut-Hrithik Roshan verbal duels through their lawyers continue. Reacting to Hrithik's statement sent on Thursday, Kangana's lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee followed suit with a reply yesterday. This is what Kangana's lawyer had to say...

"Hrithik Roshan's statements made to the media are nothing, but efforts to gain public sympathy. He cannot wash his hands off the matter now after having criminally threatened my client and having intimidated her, without any provocation.

He also cannot deny the fact that my client never named him anywhere and it was he himself who claimed to be "silly ex" in his notice. Besides his own acts of stating in the media that he would rather "date a Pope" gave enough fodder to the media to start speculating. How can he blame my client for all his own acts of commissions and omissions?

Further, he should have refrained from making absolutely false statements in his notice. He specifically claimed that he does not know my client socially at all. If that were the truth, then how was he attending my client's private birthday party with his entire family and my client was attending his party besides his sister's and his father's birthday party as well? There is enough proof on public platform, which sufficiently proves that Hrithik Roshan is lying.

Pursuant to my counter-notice there are now new claims that my client was not co-operating with the police to help with investigation of Hrithik's complaint. These claims are as false as his other claims. The fact is that my client was never dealing with any imposter and given the background of the matter, it is very lame on Mr Hrithik's part to even suggest that. Besides my client was never ever asked for any co-operation in the said matter by any person for obvious reasons.

The fact that Mr Hrithik waited for seven months to lodge a complaint says it all. Now pursuant to receipt of my notice the complaint is once again being looked into by Mr Hrithik Roshan, only as a face saving strategy.


It is also worthy to note that Mr Hrithik Roshan specifically claims to have received 50 unsolicited emails per day from my client for about 601 days (as calculated from May 24, 2014 up to February 16, 2016). Accordingly he should have received more than 30,000 emails from my client as against his own alleged claim of receiving only 1,439 emails from my client during the said period.

This shows that there is non-application of mind even while making allegations. At least make efforts to do the calculations. Besides if Hrithik Roshan was really receiving unsolicited emails from my client then why did he not prudently block my client and went on receiving my client's emails for such a long time? The answer is obvious.

His own actions speak a lot and I need not say more on behalf of my client, Ms Kangana Ranaut. Most importantly, I would like to point out that at least Mr Hrithik Roshan should have bothered to ensure that he has a good reason to send a legal notice to my client. However, as expected the notice is absolutely baseless, unsubstantiated, unwarranted and uncalled for. There is not even a case of defamation made out against my client and he is issuing a notice for defamation without application of mind.

He needs to immediately realise that my client Ms Kangana Ranaut does not need Mr Hrithik Roshan's name to garner publicity or attention, as she is a renowned public figure herself. I sincerely hope that the matter ends here and better sense prevails."

Despite the storm
Kangana Ranaut returns to Mumbai next week. The actress, who has been shooting in Arunachal Pradesh for Vishal Bharadwaj's Rangoon, will be back for a brand endorsement deal as well as to celebrate her birthday on March 23.

Kangana, who has replaced Deepika Padukone, as the face of a fashion brand, has the event scheduled for March 22. The following day (March 23) as she turns a year older, Kangs wants to be with her near and dear ones on her big day.

Says a source, "Knowing that she will only be asked questions about the legal tussle with Hrithik Roshan, Kangana has told the brand folk that she does not want any one-on-one interactions with the media."

Buzz from the set of Rangoon is that Kangs is being a professional and has not allowed what is going on in her personal life to affect the shoot. Adds the source, "There is poor phone connectivity where they are shooting, so only when they return to the hotel in the night they are aware of what is happening."

Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan has put some telling posts on Twitter. Hrithik posted, "Strong winds, walking tall." He later tweeted. "Stop writing rubbish. Go workout."