Overview
- A short paparazzi clip from a recent Mumbai photoshoot showed Shahid Kapoor placing a hand on Rashmika Mandanna’s shoulder and Rashmika stepping back, and the clip quickly went viral with users questioning her comfort.
- At a promotional appearance on May 29 Shahid playfully recreated the moment while posing with Rashmika and Kriti Sanon, and Rashmika responded with a smile and the remark that she ‘did not mean anything by it’, which outlets say largely diffused the online narrative.
- Shahid amplified the reconciliation with behind‑the‑scenes posts and a short BTS clip on his Instagram that show the three stars joking and laughing during Cocktail 2 promotions.
- Composer Pritam publicly rejected plagiarism claims about the track ‘Mashooqa’, calling online comparisons ‘imaginary similarities’ in a social‑media post reported by multiple outlets.
- Reports circulating ahead of the June 19 theatrical release say Shahid was paid about ₹35 crore while Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna reportedly earned ₹15 crore each, and the episode has heightened public attention that the marketing campaign is using to build box‑office buzz.