Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut is expected to be present at the Andheri magistrate court today in connection with a defamation case filed by veteran poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar against her. Last week, her request to cancel the defamation case was rejected by the Bombay High Court.

A single bench judge of Justice Revati Mohite Dere, after hearing Kangana’s counsel Rizwan Siddiquee and Jay Bharadwaj for Javed Akhtar had pronounced the dismissal. At this point, it is still unclear if the actor will be present in court or not.

In November last year, Akhtar had filed a criminal complaint against Ranaut before the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate, for allegedly making defamatory and baseless comments against him in television interviews. The complaint also alleged that Ranaut dragged Akhtar’s name while referring to a “coterie" existing in Bollywood following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020.

Ranaut, through her counsel Rizwan Siddiquee, had challenged the defamation proceedings that were initiated by the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate’s court earlier this year, saying that the court had failed to apply its mind to the case.

Akhtar’s counsel Jay Bharadwaj, however, told the high court that the magistrate had directed for the police inquiry after going through the lyricist’s complaint and excerpts of Ranaut’s interview, in which she had made the alleged defamatory comments.

In December 2020, the court directed the Juhu police to conduct an inquiry into Akhtar’s complaint against Ranaut and then initiated criminal proceedings against her and issued summons to her in February this year.

In November last year, Akhtar had filed a criminal complaint against Ranaut before the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate, for allegedly making defamatory and baseless comments against him in television interviews. The complaint also alleged that Ranaut dragged Akhtar’s name while referring to a “coterie" existing in Bollywood following the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June 2020.