Kangana Ranaut Faces Legal Setback as High Court Dismisses Defamation Petition
Legal Challenges for Kangana Ranaut
Munish Sood
MANDI:
Bollywood actress and newly elected BJP MP from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, Kangana Ranaut encountered a significant legal hurdle on Friday, August 1, 2025, when the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected her request to dismiss a defamation lawsuit initiated by an elderly farmer from Bathinda.
The lawsuit originates from a contentious tweet made by Ranaut during the height of the farmers' protests in 2021, where she claimed that women were participating in the demonstrations for a payment of ₹100 each.
The court's decision means that the defamation case against Ranaut will continue in a Bathinda court. Nevertheless, she retains the option to appeal the high court's ruling in the Supreme Court.
The complainant, 87-year-old Mahinder Kaur from Bahadurgarh Jandian village, asserted that Ranaut's statements severely harmed her dignity and reputation.
The Controversial Tweet and Its Consequences
The conflict traces back to January 2021 when Ranaut retweeted a post that included a picture of Mahinder Kaur, commenting: “Ha ha ha… she is the same dadi who was featured in Time magazine as one of the most powerful Indian women… and she is available for Rs 100. Pakistani journos have hijacked international PR for India in an embarrassing way. We need our own people to speak for us internationally.”
Ranaut later defended herself by stating that she only shared another user's tweet and did not intend to cause personal harm. However, Mahinder Kaur, who had no ties to the woman mentioned in Time magazine or the Shaheen Bagh protests, filed a defamation suit under IPC Sections 499 and 500.
After more than a year of hearings, the Bathinda court summoned Ranaut in early 2022. In an attempt to seek relief, she approached the high court to annul the complaint and the summons, but her plea has now been denied.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
In previous interviews, Mahinder Kaur expressed her outrage over Ranaut's comments, stating, “She called me a protester for hire. What does she know of farming or our struggles? I work in the fields every day. Why would I go to a protest for Rs 100?”
Kaur further mentioned that Ranaut's remarks inflicted mental distress and humiliation upon her. “She doesn’t understand the sweat and toil that goes into farming. It’s not something you joke about,” she added.
This incident is not the first time Ranaut's controversial remarks during the farmers' protests have led to backlash. She was involved in a physical altercation with a CISF woman constable at Chandigarh airport, who claimed that Ranaut disrespected women protestors, including her own mother, by suggesting they were paid participants.
Despite the confrontation, no FIR was lodged, and Ranaut opted not to take legal action. However, this incident has reignited discussions about her previous statements and adds context to the high court's recent ruling.