Exclusive: After row with Kangana, Apurva Asrani reveals what he thinks of Simran

The ongoing debate over how much Kangana Ranaut has actually contributed to the script of Hansal Mehta’s Simran has finally been given some closure by a source. 

“A lot of the dialogues that were written for other characters were finally mouthed by Kangana,” the source reveals. “This explains why the peripheral characters appear askew. Writer Apurva Asrani had written more depth in the supporting characters and kept the focus on the story. His version attempted a deeper emotional connect with the protagonist. In the film, other characters have either been cut from the scenes, or their lines have been mouthed by Kangana.” 

Apparently, Apurva wrote all the bank robberies differently. “In the original script there is a context to this phenomenon and things like drive-in banks, security guards are properly addressed,” adds the source. 

Kangana, reportedly, rewrote the scenes and made them more quirky and comical, since neither Kangana nor Hansal wanted the film to get heavy and dark. Kangana also improvised in the lovemaking scene with the stranger she meets in a casino. She wrote the line she throws at him, “No protection, no sex.”

Says the source, “She improvised on the lovemaking scene and in her sexual harassment scenes. The biggest difference in the film and the script is that the film focusses entirely on Simran/Kangana, while the script balances other elements like the making of a robber, the migrant’s story and a message of unconditional love. Also, Apurva didn’t write it as a farce. It was written with humour, but he always maintained a realistic approach. While Kangana’s character is certainly entertaining, her journey is compromised, which is why we enjoyed her character and applaud the feminism Kangana has brought, but we don’t feel for her or the story.”

Also added by Kangana was the revenge angle to the final robbery where she gets caught.

When we reached out to Apurva, he admitted it was not quite the product he had left behind. “I just watched Simran for the first time today. It’s quite different from what I had imagined, but I don’t think I can be objective. I’m just happy that people are enjoying it, as a lot of hard work from everyone involved went into it.”