After a tumultuous day of muck-flying and titanic tweeting, battle-scarred party bashers Shah Rukh Khan and Shirish Kunder called truce Tuesday afternoon, courtesy Shirish’s brother-in-law Sajid Khan and Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri Khan.
Apparently, Sajid and Gauri called for a meeting at Shah Rukh Khan’s residence Mannat between the two warring parties. Over a hot meal and cool discussion, the acrimony was wiped clean.
Confirming the reconciliation, Sajid Khan said: “Yes, I felt terrible about the ugly turn that the whole affair took. Shah Rukh and Shirish had a fight, agreed. But the media didn’t have to play it up to the point of making it on the front of national newspapers.”
Getting sentimental, Sajid added: “Do you know, when my sister Farah and Shirish got married, there were only three witnesses. Me, Sajid Nadiadwala and Shah Rukh. We’re family. And there’re bound to be differences between family members. Yes, Gauri and I took the initiative. All of us met at Mannat over a meal and it was all sorted out.”
Farah Khan added: “I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I am. This had turned really ugly. And before it got uglier, my brother took matters into his hands. Full credit to Gauri for making the reconciliation happen. When my brother asked her where we should meet, she said Mannat, because she said it’s Farah’s home. I am so moved.”
Farah says this is not only the end of the ugly spat, but also a new beginning for her and Shah Rukh.
“I really liked what he said. He made us promise to wipe out all the bitterness of the last two years and start afresh. I feel like a big burden is off my back,” she said.
— By Subhash K. Jha