Taapsee Pannu and Kangana Ranaut are back in the spotlight after comments about their long-running differences prompted a fresh exchange on social media.
The latest episode began after Taapsee spoke about Kangana while discussing their differences in an interview. Kangana later appeared to respond through Instagram Stories, using the phrase “sasti copy”, a term that had previously been used against Taapsee by Kangana's sister, Rangoli Chandel. The posts were later deleted.
Taapsee subsequently shared an Instagram Story saying “Hence, proved”, although she did not mention Kangana by name. The timing led several reports to interpret the post as a response to the controversy.
But this is not a straightforward story of two actors having a personal falling-out. Taapsee has previously said she never considered herself to have “clashed” with Kangana.
So, what exactly happened between the two?
How Did The Taapsee Pannu-Kangana Ranaut Controversy Begin?
The public dispute dates back to 2019.
After Taapsee praised the trailer of Kangana's film Judgementall Hai Kya, Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel criticised her on social media and described Taapsee as a “sasti copy” of Kangana.
The exchange subsequently became part of the wider public discussion around the two actors.
Taapsee later addressed the comments in interviews, while Kangana continued to speak about Taapsee at various points. Their names also became linked during the intense debate over nepotism and the treatment of outsiders in the Hindi film industry in 2020.
What Did Kangana Ranaut Say About Taapsee?
In 2020, Kangana referred to Taapsee and Swara Bhasker as “B-grade” actresses while discussing the film industry's nepotism debate.
Taapsee responded to the remarks in an interview, questioning the idea of challenging bullying by targeting other people.
The exchanges contributed to the perception of an ongoing rivalry between the two actors, although Taapsee has since questioned that description herself.
Taapsee Pannu Said She Never ‘Clashed’ With Kangana
In February 2026, Taapsee addressed the long-running speculation about her relationship with Kangana during a conversation with YouTuber Shubhankar Mishra.
Taapsee said she did not know when she had supposedly “fought” with Kangana and argued that a fight would require both people to clash. She also said she had never said anything against Kangana personally and suggested that the media narrative around their exchanges may have benefited someone.
She also said she would be open to being friends with Kangana.
That is an important part of the story because Taapsee herself has not consistently described the situation as a personal feud.
Taapsee subsequently responded to the controversy when contacted by HTCity.
Speaking to the publication, she said she had never been offended by the “sasti copy” remarks and maintained that she was comfortable with Kangana considering her a copy. "I've always maintained I don't get offended by these sasti copy remarks. I've always said I'm happy she thinks I'm a copy, and that she's a phenomenal actress and I'm not.”
Taapsee also referred to her own background and career, saying, “I don't come from a rich background or have the highest paid actor tags, maybe I'm sasti that way.”
Addressing her earlier comment that the way someone speaks can reflect their upbringing, Taapsee said she had not explicitly criticised Kangana's upbringing. "What I said was, 'how one speaks is reflective of one's upbringing.' It's up to that person to assume whether I said something bad about the upbringing or something good.”
She added that if Kangana interpreted the remark as criticism of her upbringing, that interpretation was her own. "If you believe I am demeaning your upbringing, it means you believe you made demeaning comments. I did not say that!”
Taapsee then added, “But then, I also think one needs proper education and upbringing to understand what I said.”
Why Are Taapsee And Kangana Back In The News?
The latest exchange followed comments Taapsee made while discussing her differences with Kangana.
In an interview reported on 22 August, Taapsee said that she had not met Kangana either before or after the controversy. She added that her opinion of Kangana reflected her own upbringing and way of perceiving things, while Kangana had her own perspective.
Kangana subsequently appeared to respond on Instagram.
According to reports, she shared two Instagram Stories aimed at Taapsee, although she did not name her directly in one of them. Kangana used the “sasti copy” phrase and criticised what she saw as comments about her upbringing. She also made a negative remark about Taapsee's upcoming film Gandhari. The posts were subsequently deleted.
Because the posts were deleted, the remarks should be attributed to reports of what Kangana posted rather than presented as continuing statements from her.
What Did Taapsee Say After Kangana's Posts?
On 23 August, Taapsee shared an Instagram Story containing the words “Hence, proved”.
She did not name Kangana or explicitly say what the post referred to. However, several reports interpreted it as a response to the posts attributed to Kangana because it appeared shortly after the exchange.
It is therefore safer to describe Taapsee's post as an apparent or interpreted response, rather than stating as fact that she was directly replying to Kangana.
Is Taapsee Pannu Vs Kangana Ranaut Really A Feud?
There have been repeated public exchanges involving Taapsee and Kangana, dating back to 2019. However, calling it a personal “feud” without qualification oversimplifies how Taapsee has described the situation.
Taapsee said in February 2026 that she had never “clashed” with Kangana and suggested that the perception of a feud was, at least in part, shaped by the way the exchanges were discussed publicly.
What can be established is that the two actors have been involved in a series of public comments and controversies over several years, and that the subject has resurfaced following their latest remarks.
For now, the latest episode consists of Taapsee's comments, Kangana's subsequently deleted Instagram posts and Taapsee's cryptic “Hence, proved” message. Neither actress has publicly confirmed that they have resolved their differences.
TL;DR | News At A Glance
Taapsee Pannu and Kangana Ranaut's public controversy dates back to 2019.
Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel previously called Taapsee a “sasti copy” of Kangana.
Kangana later criticised Taapsee during the 2020 debate around nepotism in Bollywood.
Taapsee said in February 2026 that she had never “clashed” with Kangana.
Fresh comments from Taapsee about their differences led to another response from Kangana in August 2026.
Kangana's Instagram posts were later deleted.
Taapsee subsequently shared a cryptic “Hence, proved” post without naming Kangana.
