Social Media Clash: Heated Exchange Between Director and Actor
December 28, 2024: A heated exchange unfolded on social media between actor Anupam Kher and filmmaker Hansal Mehta over their 2019 political drama ‘The Accidental Prime Minister’.
The controversy began when journalist Vir Sanghvi criticised the film in a tweet, calling it “one of the worst Hindi movies ever made” and accusing it of tarnishing the image of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Hansal Mehta endorsed the statement with a simple “+100”.
Also Read: Centre vs Congress: Row Erupts Over Memorial for Former PM Manmohan Singh
Anupam Kher’s Response:
Reacting sharply, Anupam Kher, who portrayed Manmohan Singh in the film, accused Hansal Mehta of hypocrisy.
“You were the Creative Director of this film. You attended the shoot, gave creative inputs, and were paid for your work. To now agree with Vir Sanghvi’s criticism is hypocritical and reeks of double standards,” Anupam wrote.
Also Read: Manmohan Singh’s Cambridge Struggles: There Were Days When He Lived on Chocolate Alone
The HYPOCRITE in this thread is NOT @virsanghvi. He has the freedom to not like a film. But @mehtahansal was the #CreativeDirector of #TheAccidentalPrimeMinister. Who was present at the entire shoot of the film in England! Giving his creative inputs and must have taken the fee… https://t.co/tkr3H1ChyX
— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPKher) December 27, 2024
He added that everyone is capable of delivering subpar work but emphasized the importance of owning one’s contributions instead of seeking validation from critics.
Hansal Mehta’s Clarification:
In response, Hansal admitted his mistakes, stating, “Of course, I own my mistakes, Mr. Kher. I worked professionally within the space I was given, but it doesn’t mean I have to keep defending the film.”
Of course I own my mistakes Mr Kher. And I can admit that I made a mistake. Can’t I sir? I did my job as professionally as I was allowed to. Can you deny that? But it doesn’t mean I have to keep defending the film or that it makes me lose objectivity about my error of judgement.… https://t.co/UIgc4Pdvww
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 27, 2024
Hansal emphasized that acknowledging a misstep doesn’t diminish his objectivity about the project. In a follow-up tweet, he extended an olive branch to Anupam Kher, offering apologies and suggesting a personal conversation to resolve the issue privately.
“Apologies if I’ve inadvertently hurt you. Whenever you wish, we’ll speak and clear the air. I will not let trolls distort this further. Sending love to you and wishing you a Happy New Year,” Hansal concluded.
And by the way @anupampkher sir… you can say all you want. Call me names if you wish. Apologies if I’ve inadvertently hurt you. Sending love to you. Whenever you wish we will speak and clear the air. I will not give space to trolls to distort this further and have a field day at… https://t.co/UIgc4PcXGY
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) December 27, 2024
The Controversial Film:
‘The Accidental Prime Minister’, directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte, starred Anupam Kher as Dr. Manmohan Singh and Akshaye Khanna as Sanjaya Baru. The film faced sharp criticism for its political overtones and was commercially unsuccessful.
While the film continues to be a polarizing subject, the recent exchange between Hansal Mehta and Anupam Kher reignites conversations about accountability, creative direction, and the responsibilities of filmmakers and actors in politically charged narratives.
Tags:
The Accidental Prime Minister, Anupam Kher, Hansal Mehta, Social Media Feud, Bollywood Controversy, Manmohan Singh Biopic, Film Criticism, Political Drama, Creative Differences, Bollywood Debate, Viral Tweets, Film Industry Ethics
