Hrithik had slapped a legal notice on his "Kites" co-star Kangana Ranaut in 2016 for calling him a "silly-ex" as he maintains that there was no relationship between them.
Kangana, however, maintains that they had an affair and has accused the actor of slut-shaming her by allegedly leaking their private emails to the media.
Their fight has been public and ugly ever since and the matter refuses to die down.
"I believe that ignorance, non-reaction and staying on the path of dignity is the best way to discourage any persistent unwanted intrusions. But Just like a nagging health issue sometimes ignored can turn malignant, this situation for me has unfortunately turned malignant," he said.
Calling out the media for jumping to conclusions, Hrithik said he remained silent while the other party kept talking because he did not see any grace in adding to "this circus".
The actor said his fight was not against the "allegation of an affair" or to defend a "good guy" image. He also urged the media to not call it a "lover's spat".
"I am in fact protecting myself from something far more serious, sensitive and destructive than that. Sadly, very few from the media or the public seem to be interested in the truth. This has been a hard-learnt fact for me," he added.
He said that while he understands that women have suffered "centuries of abuse at the hands of men", it does not mean that one man "cannot be vulnerable and one woman can't be a liar".
"An alleged seven-year long, passionate affair between two high profile celebrities with no trail left behind. No evidence, no paparazzi pictures, no witnesses, not even a memento in possession like a selfie taken at the alleged engagement which is claimed to have happened in Paris in January 2014. Nothing that constitutes an exchange or any sort of proof of a romantic relationship," he said.
The actor claimed that the only proof presented of this alleged relationship was a photoshopped picture in the media.
"This was immediately exposed, the very next day by friends including my ex-wife."
"There are 3,000 one-sided mails which either I have sent to myself or the woman in question has sent to me. The Cyber- Crime Dept can prove or disprove either story, in just a few days."
Contrary to Kangana's claims, Hrithik said the investigation has not been closed in the matter.
"I am not here to accuse or judge anyone, but it's time I defend the truth because when truth suffers the collective consciousness of society suffers. Civilisation suffers. Closer to home, families suffer. Children suffer," he concluded.
Ranaut, during the promotions of "Simran" last month, had spoken at length again about her fight with Hrithik and had asked him to publicly issue an apology to her.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
