Arguably the biggest filmstar of the country, Shakib Khan has apparently poured cold water on the interest of gossip lovers, who have been gearing up for a heated rivalry, something that the country’s film industry has been badly missing for years.
On July 8, Shakib told vernacular daily Bangladesh Protidin that the entire hullabaloo centring what he had said about his biggest rival MA Jalil Ananta was a “misunderstanding.”
Shakib apologised saying: “I have never said anything that may hurt another artist. I did not want to insult Ananta, nor did I call him insane.”
On the same day, Ananta issued a legal notice for Shakib over a statement that the latter had made in an interview with the same newspaper on July 6.
The notice quoted Shakib as saying: “Every film industry in the world has one or two insane people like Ananta. Everyone loves laughing at them.”
Ananta’s legal adviser Md Jasim Uddin, a Supreme Court practitioner, issued the notice on behalf of his client.
The notice requested Shakib to apologise conditionally through the same newspaper; otherwise, he would have to face a civil compensation suit of Tk100 crore under section 500 of the penal code.
Shakib apologised to Ananta saying it was an “unintentional mistake.” He also praised Ananta for his efforts for the development of the country’s film industry and expressed his willingness to work together.
Ananta, who is now in the USA for the promotion of his upcoming Eid film “Most Welcome 2,” could not be reached immediately for his reaction to Shakib’s apology.
Shakib, on the other hand, is releasing “Hero The Superstar” - the first film from his production house – during this Eid.
The prevailing air in the industry is that the success of these two films may end up deciding who the biggest filmstar of the industry is.