Few celebrity feuds in Bollywood have lasted as long or generated as much public debate as the one between Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan. What began with rumours of a relationship eventually turned into legal notices, public interviews, police complaints and years of conflicting claims.

A decade later, the controversy is once again making headlines after the recent CJP row reignited conversations around the pair, with many on social media reviving the "Sorry Hrithik" trend.

If you've never followed the controversy, here's a simple timeline of how it unfolded.

It all began with two films

Kangana Ranaut and Hrithik Roshan first shared screen space in ‘Kites’ in 2010. They reunited in ‘Krrish 3’ in 2013.

Around the same time, Hrithik announced his separation from his wife, Sussanne Khan, in December 2013. Soon after, rumours began circulating that he and Kangana were romantically involved. Neither actor publicly confirmed or denied those reports, allowing speculation to continue for more than a year.

2016: The 'silly ex' remark changes everything

The controversy exploded in early 2016 when Kangana, during a media interaction, spoke about "exes" and remarked that she did not understand "why exes do silly things to get your attention."

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Although she did not mention Hrithik by name, the statement was widely interpreted as being directed at him.

The comment instantly shifted the rumoured relationship into a full blown public controversy.

Hrithik denies the relationship

Soon after, Hrithik Roshan sent Kangana a legal notice demanding that she withdraw the statement and apologise publicly.

In his official response, he maintained that there had never been a romantic relationship between them and said he had chosen the legal route to deal with the issue privately.

His legal team also alleged that Kangana had sent him 1,439 emails, describing them as a form of mental harassment.

Hrithik later made one of his strongest public statements on the matter, saying there were "more chances of me having had an affair with the Pope" than with Kangana.

The Paris engagement claim

Kangana, however, continued to maintain that the relationship was real.

She claimed the two had been involved for nearly seven years and alleged that Hrithik had proposed to her in Paris in January 2014.

Hrithik firmly rejected the allegation.

In a detailed Facebook statement published on October 5, 2016, he pointed out that his passport records showed he had not travelled to Paris during the period Kangana claimed the engagement took place.

He also questioned the absence of any evidence supporting the alleged relationship, saying there were no photographs, messages, eyewitnesses or even a personal keepsake from what was described as a seven year romance.

The legal battle gets bigger

The dispute soon moved beyond public statements.

Hrithik filed a police complaint alleging that someone had impersonated him using a fake email account and communicated with Kangana.

The case was registered under provisions related to cheating by impersonation, identity theft and information technology offences.

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Kangana's legal team responded by claiming her own email account had been hacked and argued that communications after a certain date should not be considered genuine.

Both sides eventually submitted electronic devices for forensic examination, but the investigation continued for years without reaching a final conclusion.

Counter notices and fresh allegations

Kangana refused to apologise and instead sent Hrithik a counter legal notice.

She also accused him of misusing private emails and photographs that she claimed belonged to the period when they were together.

The legal exchange became one of the most closely watched celebrity disputes in India, with both actors standing by completely different versions of events.

Others enter the conversation

The controversy soon drew reactions from people within the film industry.

Actor and filmmaker Farhan Akhtar publicly questioned the absence of evidence supporting Kangana's claims, pointing out that no photographs, messages or records had surfaced despite the alleged long relationship.

At another point, when Kangana became the target of an online trend attacking her character, Hrithik posted a message urging people not to judge others and asking them to replace anger with compassion.

2021: The investigation continues

In February 2021, Mumbai Police's Crime Branch summoned Hrithik Roshan to record his statement in connection with the email impersonation case.

He spent more than two hours with investigators before leaving without speaking to the media.

Reacting to the development, Kangana posted on social media, once again referring to Hrithik as her "silly ex" and saying the world had moved on while he remained stuck in the past.

The investigation, however, did not reach a conclusive end.

2026: The controversy returns through the CJP row

Nearly 10 years after the original dispute began, the feud unexpectedly resurfaced during the recent controversy surrounding Kangana's remarks on the CJP protests.

After Kangana made controversial comments about the protesters, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das responded during an interview with Barkha Dutt. In a remark that quickly went viral, he joked that his friends believed Kangana was targeting him because he resembled a younger Hrithik Roshan.

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The comment sparked thousands of reactions online and led many users to revisit the decade old controversy, resulting in the "Sorry Hrithik" trend across social media platforms.

What did Hrithik say?

Hrithik's comment came under an Instagram post discussing the viral "Sorry Hrithik" trend that resurfaced after CJP spokesperson Saurav’s remarks.

Without naming Kangana, Hrithik urged people not to choose sides simply because public opinion had shifted.

"My friend, siding with 'A' just because you don't like 'B' anymore is a small part of the larger systemic issue plaguing our society," he wrote.

He added that he would rather wait until the context was complete and rooted in facts before forming or expressing an opinion.

Kangana responds to Hrithik's latest remark

The controversy took another turn after Hrithik Roshan reacted to an Instagram post tied to the ongoing online debate surrounding Kangana's recent remarks. His response prompted Kangana to address him directly through an Instagram Story, bringing their years old feud back into the spotlight once again.

Kangana began by saying she was happy that Hrithik had found happiness with actor Saba Azad. "Dear Hrithik, I am happy that you have found your perfect match, Saba Azad, and you both look great together," she wrote.

However, she questioned why he chose to comment on the controversy despite being in a committed relationship. Kangana urged Hrithik to speak out against those she claimed were harassing and bullying her online while invoking his name, instead of adding to the conversation.

She also said his comments were unnecessarily fuelling the controversy and claimed they were embarrassing his partner. Concluding her message, Kangana expressed hope that "better sense prevails" and asked him to stop making what she described as unreasonable remarks.
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Why the controversy continues to make headlines

With Hrithik's latest comment and Kangana's public response, a dispute that first erupted in 2016 has once again become one of Bollywood's most discussed topics. While the original legal battle remains unresolved, the renewed exchange has revived public interest in the controversy, introducing the decade old feud to a new generation of audiences