The 2001 thriller Ajnabee, starring Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Bipasha Basu, remains remembered not only for its suspenseful storyline but also for reports of a disagreement between its leading actresses.
The reported fallout centred on fashion designer Vikram Phadnis and the film’s costumes. At the time, media reports fuelled speculation about tensions between Kareena and Bipasha, turning the alleged disagreement into a widely discussed Bollywood controversy.
Over the years, statements from the actresses and the film’s producer have offered different perspectives on the incident. Here is what they said about the reported Ajnabee controversy.
How Did the Ajnabee Controversy Begin?
Reports at the time suggested that the disagreement began when fashion designer Vikram Phadnis, who was working on Kareena Kapoor’s costumes for Ajnabee, also helped Bipasha Basu with her wardrobe.
The arrangement reportedly led to tensions involving Kareena and the designer, with Bipasha subsequently becoming part of the public discussion surrounding the incident.
However, the film’s producer, Vijay Galani, later played down the controversy in an interview with Bollywood Hungama. He reportedly explained that the same designer was working on the clothes of both actresses and suggested that minor disagreements had been exaggerated in media coverage.
Galani also indicated that the reported tension did not disrupt the film’s shooting.
His account offered a less dramatic interpretation of the incident than some of the reports circulating at the time, although it did not put an end to speculation about the actresses’ relationship.
What Did Bipasha Basu Say About Kareena Kapoor?
Bipasha addressed the controversy in a 2001 interview with Filmfare, suggesting that the disagreement had been misrepresented and that she had been unnecessarily drawn into it.
“I think this is a case of making a mountain out of a molehill. There were never any problems with me. She had some problems with the designer. I don’t know why I was pulled in. It was quite childish,” Bipasha said.
Her comments indicated that she viewed the original disagreement as being primarily between Kareena and the designer rather than a personal dispute involving herself.
Bipasha also expressed reluctance to work with Kareena again, saying that the two did not interact off-screen.
Meanwhile, reports circulated alleging that Kareena had slapped Bipasha and called her “Kaali Billi”. Such claims became part of the wider controversy, but they should be treated as allegations rather than established facts without reliable corroboration.
The competing accounts helped keep the reported disagreement in the headlines long after Ajnabee was released.
What Was Kareena Kapoor’s Response to the Fallout?
Kareena offered her perspective in a 2002 interview with Filmfare, responding to Bipasha’s remarks and rejecting the allegations attributed to her.
“She just doesn’t seem to have any confidence in her own talent. In a four-page interview, she spoke about me for three pages. Why not talk about your work? I think her only claim to fame is that she fought with me during Ajnabee over dress designer Vikram Phadnis. She’s given statements that I called her uncharitable names. Now, that’s a figment of her imagination,” Kareena said.
Her response demonstrated that the controversy remained a point of contention between the actresses even after the film’s release.
The interviews revealed differing interpretations of the incident. While Bipasha maintained that she had been unnecessarily drawn into a disagreement involving the designer, Kareena challenged the claims made about her conduct.
Neither account, on its own, establishes every detail of what happened behind the scenes. The controversy is best understood through the actresses’ attributed statements and the producer’s comments, rather than through unverified stories that circulated in the media.
Did Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor Move On?
In the years following the controversy, there were indications that the actresses’ relationship had become less strained.
In 2008, Kareena reportedly invited Bipasha to Saif Ali Khan’s birthday party. The invitation was interpreted by some as a possible sign that relations between the two had improved.
However, a social invitation alone does not establish the full nature of their relationship or confirm that every disagreement had been resolved.
Today, the Ajnabee episode remains a memorable piece of early-2000s Bollywood gossip, partly because it involved two prominent actresses and generated competing public statements.
Looking back, the controversy also illustrates how a reported disagreement over a film’s wardrobe arrangements can develop into a much larger celebrity story. The available accounts provide insight into what the actresses said publicly, but some of the more sensational allegations remain unverified.
