Aanand L. Rai’s Raanjhanaa, the 2013 romantic drama that divided audiences and critics alike, is set to complete 12 years on June 21. To commemorate the milestone, the film's team hosted a special screening at PVR Lido on Wednesday. The evening brought together director Aanand L Rai, lyricist Irshad Kamil, actor Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and even Kriti Sanon — who’s all set to romance Dhanush in their upcoming film Tere Ishk Mein. The Tamil superstar Dhanush, the heart of Raanjhanaa, also marked his presence, adding a nostalgic weight to the gathering.
But while the celebration ran smoothly on the surface, the real drama unfolded off-screen. Notably absent were the film’s lead actress Sonam Kapoor and actor Abhay Deol — a silence that spoke louder than words. Social media didn’t take long to notice the duo’s absence. While some fans joked that Sonam Kapoor might now consider herself “too elite” for such throwback events, the more informed netizens connected the dots to a decade-old controversy. And rightly so.
Back in 2013, not long after the film’s release, Abhay Deol openly slammed Raanjhanaa, calling out its problematic message and even criticising his co-stars for being part of it. In a blunt Instagram post, Abhay Deol wrote on his Instagram "Such clear and valid insight from @oldschoolrebel9 (a fan who pointed out the insight which caught Abhay's Attention) regarding the film Raanjhanaa. History will not look kindly at this film for its regressive message. It's been a theme in Bollywood for decades, where a boy can (and should), pursue a girl until she relents. Only in cinema does she do that willfully. In reality we have seen time and again that it leads to sexual violence of some sort. Glorifying it on screen only leads to blaming the victim, as @oldschoolrebel9 explains it so brilliantly. Please do take time out to read her observations in the pics above. #shedoesnotlikeyou #growup #gloryfyingsexualharrasment"
Abhay took aim at the way the film romanticised obsessive male pursuit, something Bollywood has been guilty of for decades. While many appreciated his candour, it was also a rare moment where an actor publicly trashed a film he starred in — alongside his co-stars Sonam Kapoor and Dhanush — setting the stage for lasting tension.
Director Aanand L Rai, at the time, tried to play peacemaker, expressing to the media, saying "Sonam and Abhay never shared cold vibes on the set while the making of the film" just to justify from the point of a director to clear out his film's name. "The relationship between Abhay and Sonam reportedly went sour during the making of Aisha, after the actor had publicly expressed displeasure with the way the film was being made. The film was produced by Sonam's father Anil Kapoor", said Rai. In response, Sonam had once snapped, “Men sometimes bring negativity into women’s lives.”
Twelve years later, one would expect maturity to take over, especially when celebrating a milestone like this. But the absence of both Sonam and Abhay at Raanjhanaa’s celebratory screening hints that the bitterness still lingers. In a space where collaboration and growth should come first, this just shows how personal egos can overshadow even iconic projects.
Whether it’s unresolved grudges, ideological disagreements, or sheer indifference — their no-show raises one clear question: how long can artists carry the weight of past beefs, even at the cost of honouring their own legacy?
It seems for some in Bollywood, growing up is optional.