Star Rana Daggubati has come out and apologised to actress Sonam Kapoor after saying she "wasted" actor Dulquer Salmaan's time with the 2019 dud 'The Zoya Factor'.
It all happened at an event in Hyderabad during King Of Kotha, without naming Sonam, Rana said that a 'Bollywood heroine' wasted actor Dulquer Salmaan's time on sets of their film.
However, now Rana has come out with a clarification saying that he is "genuinely troubled by the negativity."
"I am genuinely troubled by the negativity that has been aimed at Sonam due to my comments, that are totally untrue and were meant entirely in a light-hearted manner. As friends, we often exchange playful banter, and I deeply regret that my words have been misinterpreted," he said.
He added: "I take this opportunity to express my heartfelt apologies to Sonam and Dulquer, both of whom I hold in great esteem. I hope this clarification puts an end to any speculation and misunderstanding. Thank you for your understanding."
According to reports, during the King of Kotha event, Rana had said: "Dulquer was my junior at acting school. We became friends there. He is a very polite person. He's doing a Hindi movie and the producers are my friends. The shoot was happening near my house. I went there to meet Dulquer."
He added: "While he was standing in the corner with the spot boy, a big Hindi heroine who was doing that movie was engrossed in a phone conversation about shopping in London with her husband. Her lack of focus affected the shots' quality, frustrating those on set."
"Despite the disruptions caused by the situation, Dulquer remained patient and understanding, defusing tension and maintaining a harmonious environment."