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After Twinkle Khanna and Karan Johar blasted Naseeruddin Shah for calling the late actor Rajesh Khanna — Twinkle’s father — a “limited, poor actor,” Shah has apologised. India Today tweeted that the actor said, “I apologise to those who were personally offended, my intention was not to attack him (Rajesh Khanna)”.”
Twinkle, however, was having none of it. The apology, it seems, was too late and too little for her. She tweeted, “All due regard toMrShah’s reality,mine=a man who loved cinema& did films likeAnand,AmarPrem,KatiPatang thank u folks for all the love.”
The face-off between Naseeruddin and Twinkle began after the veteran actor made disparaging remarks against her late father, India’s first superstar Rajesh Khanna. In an interview, Naseeruddin Shah was quoted saying, “It was the 70’s when mediocrity came in Hindi films. That’s when the actor called Rajesh Khanna joined the industry. For all his success, I think Mr Khanna was a very limited actor. In fact, he was a poor actor. Intellectually, he wasn’t the most alert person I have ever met. His taste ruled the industry.” Khanna gave hits such as Aradhana (1969), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) and Anand (1971).”
Shah further went on to say, “The quality of script, acting, music and lyrics deteriorated. Colour came in. You could make a heroine wear a purple dress and hero a red shirt, go to Kashmir and make a movie. You didn’t need a story. This trend continued and I certainly think Mr Khanna had something to do with it because he was God in those days.”
Also Read | Twinkle Khanna slams Naseeruddin Shah for calling father Rajesh Khanna ‘a poor actor’
Certainly not pleased with Shah’s not-so-flattering opinion about her late father who was also the country’s first celluloid superstar, Twinkle took to Twitter to express her disapproval. “Sir if you can’t respect the living, respect the dead. Mediocrity is attacking a man who can’t respond,” tweeted Twinkle.
Also read | Naseeruddin Shah, Rajesh Khanna was a lot of things but mediocre wasn’t one of them
Filmmaker Karan Johar also supported Twinkle, “I agree with you @mrsfunnybones…due respect to seniority but this was in exceptionally bad taste and not becoming of a fraternity member..”
Twinkle Khanna and Naseeruddin Shah had last shared stage at a book launch earlier this year. While they have not acted together in a film, Shah has collaborated with Twinkle’s mother actress Dimple Kapadia in Finding Fanny and husband Akshay Kumar in Mohra and other films.
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