With the recent nepotism slamming in Bollywood and Kangana leading the movement, a prominent member of the industry has sided with Mahesh Bhatt who has been one of Kangana’s targetted Bollywood celebrity.
Writer Shagufta Rafique, who wrote the films Wo Lamhe and Raaz: The Mystery Continues for Kangana, has countered Kangana’s allegations towards Mahesh Bhatt in an exclusive with TOI. Shagufta has been the writer for Mahesh Bhatt’s production house for 13 years.
In an alleged incident, Mahesh Bhatt apparently hit Kangana with a shoe but talking to TOI Shagufta dismisses the allegation and says, “I have been hearing all that has been spoken about Bhatt Saab by Kangana Ranaut. I do agree that he shouted at her and there are reasons for it.”
She continued by mentioning that the whole cast and crew were present at that moment. “He did raise his voice at her at the ‘Woh Lamhe’ (2006) trial when she came late for the show…There were some shooting issues and that she had turned down a film which of course is her right, But she is going back to the past and adding something that never happened at all. The entire unit was present for the trial show, including Mohit Suri, Mukesh Bhatt and rest of the Star cast. I was a witness that yes he did yell at her too much but It is just not in his nature to do something that he is being accused of.”
Rafique also rules out all accusations of nepotism directed towards Mahesh Bhatt as she says he had taken her in when she was only a bar singer. “I came from nowhere, I was a bar singer who found it difficult to get my first break too as a writer, but it was Bhatt Saab who gave me my first break and changed my whole life…He is one of the very few who has worked with so many newcomers launched the careers of actors writers musicians lyricists etc.. So the question of nepotism and Mahesh Bhatt does not arise at all.”
Explaining her point, Shagufta states that had such an incident taken place, why would Kangana continue working with Mahesh Bhatt? “If such an incident had happened with her and she had a problem with Mahesh Bhatt, why did she work with Vishesh films at all, is a question she needs to ask herself…“