Bollywood
actor Kangana Ranaut has said she will return her Padma Shri award if she is
unable to prove the claims she has made about actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s
death. After the “Kedarnath” actor’s death by suicide on June 14 at his Mumbai residence, Kangana had released a couple of videos on social media, accusing several members
of the film industry of propagating nepotism.
In her videos, the ‘Manikarnika’ actor spoke
about the alleged pressure and rejection Sushant Singh Rajput was facing from the Bollywood and media. She also hit out at journalists for writing blind items on celebrities
without taking names. She also questioned whether Sushant Singh Rajput’s death
was a “suicide or a planned murder”.
Now, in an
interview with Republic TV, the actor has said that if she cannot prove the
claims she has made, she’ll return the honour bestowed upon her by the Indian
government.
“They
(Mumbai Police) summoned me, and I asked them too, that I’m in Manali, that you
can send somebody to take my statement, but I have not received anything after
that. I am telling you, if I have said anything, which I can’t testify, which I
can’t prove, and which is not in public domain, I will return my Padma
Shri,” Kangana said.
“I
don’t deserve it. I am not that person who will go on record (to make such
statements), and everything that I have said is in public domain,” she
added.
Kangana
continued, “Tomorrow, needy outsiders like Taapsee Pannu, Swara Bhasker
will get up and say that they love this industry. I am only saying if you love
this industry and if you love Karan Johar, then why are you not getting work
like Alia or Ananya? Their whole existence is proof of nepotism. There will be
articles that will make me look like a mad person after this, I know.”
Earlier this month, Kangana’s team had denied
that the actress was called in by the Mumbai Police. Her team had tweeted on
July 2, “Ms #KanganaRanaut hasn’t received any such request from
@MumbaiPolice yet, but as and when she does, she is more than willing to
co-operate.”
