Nearly a month after Javed Akhtar and Kangana Ranaut settled their four-year-long defamation case, Shabana Azmi has revealed that Javed sought an apology in writing, not monetary compensation.

Shabana expressed surprise over media reports framing the settlement as mutual without emphasizing Javed’s demand for a written apology. Javed had sued Kangana in July 2020, alleging that she defamed him by linking him to Sushant Singh Rajput's death. In response, Kangana accused Javed of criminal intimidation.

In February 2025, Kangana withdrew her statements, expressing high regard for Javed, and he agreed to drop the case. She later posted a picture with Javed, humorously announcing that he would write songs for her next film.

While the legal battle is over, Shabana's latest revelation raises fresh questions about how the case was reported in the media.