Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan announced on Thursday he was shifting the release date of Super 30 to avoid a box office clash with Kangana Ranaut's Mental Hai Kya, saying the decision was taken to save the film from being “desecrated by yet another media circus”.
Though the actor did not name Kangana in his statement, posted on Twitter, Hrithik hinted at their long-standing ugly public feud.
“So as to not allow my film to be desecrated by yet another media circus, I have decided to shift the release date of my film 'Super 30' in order to save myself from the personal trauma and toxic mental violence this would cause.
“Despite the film being ready, I have requested my producers to shift and announce the next suitable date as soon as possible,” Hrithik wrote.
Mental Hai Kya recently shifted its release date only to coincide with the theatrical arrival of Super 30 on July 26 but producer Ekta Kapoor said the decision had nothing to do with Kangana's equation with Hrithik.
However, that did nothing to quell the rumours that the decision was taken at the behest of Kangana, a charge that her sister Rangoli Chandel has denied.
In his statement, Hrithik called the negativity surrounding the release of his film a “blatant case of harassment”.
“Over the past few years, to my utter dismay, I have been witness to a lot of us cheering and encouraging what was/is an open and blatant case of harassment. I must even now, wait patiently and silently for the collective consciousness of society to take cognisance of such matters in order to maintain our faith in civility of our society.
“This unrelenting helplessness must end,” he added.
Hrithik and Kangana have a long and complicated history.
In 2016, Kangana claimed that they were in a relationship, but Hrithik said it was not true. The fight became public after Hrithik sued her and Kangana counter-sued him.