Actor Alia Bhatt has reacted to Kangana Ranaut’s comments that her performance in Gully Boy was ‘mediocre’ and that she finds it embarrassing to be compared to her.

Alia told Bollywood Hungama, “I respect Kangana’s work a lot and I respect her opinion. If she feels a particular way she must have reason to feel that way. I would rather remember how much she had praised me after watching Raazi. And I’d just like to focus on my work. Maybe she will appreciate me again if I work hard enough.”

In an earlier interview to Bollywood Life, Kangana had said that she finds comparisons between herself and Alia embarrassing because she found Alia’s critically acclaimed performance in Gully Boy ‘mediocre’. Kangana said, “I am embarrassed…What is there to beat in Gully Boy performance ….same snappy muh phat girl… Bollywood’s idea of a fiery girl, woman empowerment and good acting, spare me this embarrassment, please. Media have taken filmy kids love too far. Stop pampering mediocre work or else bar will never be raised.”

Kangana’s animosity towards Alia goes back months, when she alleged that the Raazi star didn’t reciprocate her gesture and help promote Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Kangana had said then that she had called Alia up, and made her feelings known. Suggesting that Alia is a puppet of producer Karan Johar, Kangana said she’d told her ‘to grow a spine’. “I reached out to Alia and asked her what makes her think Manikarnika is my personal controversy, it’s a film whole nation is talking about and wondering why Bollywood is keeping quiet on such a relevant work……I asked her if I can be courteous and gracious to acknowledge her requests for encouraging relevant work that she does, why is she so scared to see my film,” she had said.

While Gully Boy was a critical and commercial hit, Manikarnika was met with middling reviews and a lukewarm response at the box office.

Also read: Kangana Ranaut calls Alia Bhatt’s Gully Boy performance mediocre, says it’s embarrassing to be compared to her

Alia had responded to Kangana’s views in February at a press event. “I hope she doesn’t dislike me and I don’t think she dislikes me. I don’t think I have done anything intentionally to upset her. If I have, I will apologise to her on a personal level,” she had said.

Kangana recently announced her second film as director, an action film based on a true story. Alia, meanwhile, will next be seen in the period drama Kalank, and then in the ambitious Brahmastra later this year.

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