Bollywood actor Mrunal Thakur has once again been embroiled in controversy. Recently, a video of her calling Bipasha Basu manly and muscular went viral, and now another old interview of hers has resurfaced, this time dragging in Anushka Sharma's name.
In the viral clip, Mrunal is seen talking about the films she rejected in her early days. She admitted she turned down many projects because she wasn't ready at the time.
Talking about one particular movie, she said, "So many. I said no, honestly, because I was not ready. Controversies ho jaayegi. It became a superhit and helped the female actress to reach there. But then I realised if I had done that film, then I would have lost myself."
The internet quickly guessed that she was hinting at Sultan, the Salman Khan blockbuster where Anushka Sharma was cast; seemingly, Mrunal was the first choice for the film.
She said, "Then she is not working at the moment, but I am, which is itself a victory because I don't want instant gratification, instant recognition, instant fame. because anything that comes instantly, goes away instantly."
Though she never took Anushka's name directly, netizens wasted no time connecting the dots and concluded that the comment was aimed at her.
As the clip went viral on Reddit and X, users slammed Mrunal for the remark.
One wrote, "Peak mean girl energy – 'she's not working today, but I am.' Why put others down to lift yourself?"
Another pointed out, "If this is about Anushka, Mrunal should remember that Anushka went from Sultan to producing her own films. She's hardly 'not working.'"
The next one said, "She might have benefitted from Sultan, but Salman and Anushka's chemistry was unexpectedly good. The film worked because of that."
One more commented, "Money can't buy class. So mean and so so bitter. Every interview will have atleast one such bitter statement made by her."
Someone also said, "That apology for Bipasha does not even feel real anymore. She's been throwing shade on others too. She definitely has some sort of superiority complex."
When Salman confirmed Mrunal was the first choice
Salman Khan himself had revealed earlier that Mrunal was the original choice for Sultan. On Bigg Boss, while promoting a film with Shahid Kapoor, Salman said, "The original star of Sultan was her. Ali (director Ali Abbas Zafar) had got her, but she was not looking like a pahalwan. Anushka bhi nahi lagti thi pahalwan type, but mujhe pata tha inka bohot accha hoga career."
To this, Mrunal had responded, "Tab mera wazan bohot zyada tha." (I was overweight).
Work Front
Mrunal has been roped in as the leading lady opposite Adivi Sesh in "Dacoit – Ek Prem Katha". The pan-India drama also features director and actor Anurag Kashyap in a key role.
Helmed by Shaneil Deo, the project has been backed by Supriya Yarlagadda, co-produced by Suniel Narang, and presented by Annapurna Studios.
