Apoorva delivers a knockout! -Kunal

Homi Adajania, Sheena Sippy, and Apoorva Lakhia

Not too long ago, the Indian Film Festival in Australia and the Australian government felicitated Yash Chopra along with a retrospective of Yash Raj films.

Other guests from India who attended the event included Simi Garewal and directors Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (Rang De Basanti), Apoorva Lakhia (Ek Ajnabee), Kunal Kohli (Fanaa) and Homi Adajania (Being Cyrus).

While Yash Chopra may have enjoyed the goings-on, all wasn't hunky dory with the bevy of directors at the do. Mehra, Lakhia and Adajania returned furious with Kunal Kohli, and later, Karan Johar too had a heated pow-wow with him over the phone.

The challenge

A source present at the festival says, "Kunal went up to the Australian committee and questioned the presence of Homi Adajania, Apoorva Lakhia and Rakeysh Mehra, saying that these filmmakers did not make mainstream cinema (which the event was focussed on). Later, Kunal was even heard bitching about Karan Johar. He was only praising Aditya Chopra and said that Karan was nothing without Adi."

It did not take long for Karan to learn that Kunal had been bitching about him. The source continues, "Karan called Kunal for an explanation.

Expectedly, Kohli denied it. Aditya too called Kunal and questioned him about bad-mouthing Karan. Actually Adi fired him."

I didn't make any statements against Homi, Rakeysh and Apoorva, neither do I have problems with them. Someone else said something about Lakhia's film and the buck was passed on to me — Kunal Kohli

Even though the directors were angry and felt Kunal's statements were in bad taste, they did not confront the director.

A few days after they returned from Australia, Kunal tried contacting Apoorva, who ignored his calls. Subsequently, Kunal sent him a bouquet of flowers in an attempt to make peace.

Lakhia's temper, however, had not flayed. In return, the upcoming director sent him a pair of boxing gloves, a helmet and a three-day pass to a gym where he could learn boxing, clearly inviting him for a one-on-one bout.
Misunderstanding

When we called Kunal, he first laughed but eventually spoke about the fracas. He says, "I did not make any statements against Homi, Rakeysh and Apoorva, neither do I have problems with them. Someone else said something about Lakhia's film Ek Ajnabee and the buck was passed on to me. In fact, I even sat with Rakeysh at the Star Screen awards recently; and later partied with the Rang De Basanti gang."

Kunal says that Lakhia is the one who's been spreading rumours about him bitching out Karan.

Kunal admits that Karan phoned him, but minces no words when he says, "Karan said people were talking about how I had said mean things about him in Australia, which he did not believe. What's more, my wife Raveena is directing his show Koffee with Karan, so there's no problem between us."

As for Lakhia, Kunal says, "Yes, I sent him flowers. I have done what I could. We should be mature and avoid misunderstandings. At the GIFA awards in Malaysia, I went up to Apoorva and told him that his trailer of Shoot Out At Lokhandwala looks very good." Our source adds, "Kunal did compliment Apoorva, who looked through him. Sunil Shetty was standing nearby. He sensed that something was wrong between the two and even asked them about it."

Meanwhile, Lakhia is still fuming. When asked about Kunal's apparent misbehaviour in Australia, he only snarled, "Who's Kunal?"

woah. kunal does sound a little b****y!

kunal is really bitchy though....