Abhay Deol says Dibakar Banerjee wanted negative stories published about him to ‘gain attention’ for Shanghai

Actor Abhay Deol has now responded to claims that he is ‘lazy’ and ‘difficult to work with’. Abhay has said that Dibakar Banerjee, who directed his film Shanghai, told him that ‘negative stories will be deliberately printed’. Back in 2020, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who directed Dev D, said that it was ‘painfully difficult’ for him to work with Abhay. Abhay is currently awaiting the release of his next film Jungle Cry. Also Read: Abhay Deol calls Anurag Kashyap ‘gaslighter’ after filmmaker said he was ‘painfully difficult to work with’

Jungle Cry, which chronicles the inspiring journey of 12 underprivileged children winning the prestigious International Junior Rugby Tournament in 2007, will release on Lionsgate Play on June 3. Abhay plays the role of real-life rugby coach Rudraksh Jena in the film, which is directed by Sagar Ballary.

In an interview with Film Companion, Abhay accused filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee of telling him that negative stories would be deliberately published by the media. He said, “Dibakar literally told me, ‘We’re going to put some false negative stories because that gets more eyeballs’. And then they got a journalist who I had a contentious relationship with, so he put negative stories about me only! So, I got very upset with Dibakar, and now those stories are out, and they’re completely false, and I’m taking names and giving you.”

He added, “I can’t defend myself, but I will say, in my defence, people have an agenda and I’ve been gaslit… I would just say, don’t believe everything you hear. It’s sad, the vocal ones are the ones that get printed, and if it’s repeated enough times, it becomes the truth. That doesn’t mean it is.”

Abhay Deol made his acting debut with Imtiaz Ali’s Socha Na Tha, which was released in 2005. He later appeared in films such as, Dev D, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd, Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Manorama Six Feet Under, Happy Bhag Jayegi, and many others.