Actor Naeema Butt has addressed filmmaker Sangeeta’s claims that she was let go from the upcoming film “Mukho” on account of her behavior, which reportedly included making “demands” of the director.

Butt denied the allegations outright. She said she was unable to do the project due to scheduling conflicts, and that what Sangeeta described as demands were actually suggestions the director herself had asked for.

Sharing Mishi Khan’s post on her Instagram stories on Tuesday, Butt thanked her supporters, writing, “Thank you for all the love, this reply is for you everyone. @mishikhanofficial2, respect.”

She went on to explain her side of the story. “I gave her suggestions with good intentions for the betterment of the whole project and its quality, btw she asked for them too,” Butt wrote.

She also addressed the advance payment at the center of the dispute. “I was the one who said I don’t have dates available and I sent back the ‘token’ money that she forcefully gave me at our very first intro meeting, when I wasn’t even sure I was going to do this project. I always gave her a lot of respect though,” she wrote.

Butt closed her post on a respectful note. “Still, I respect her. She’s our senior, but my working style is different. Best of luck for Mukho, Sangeeta jii,” she wrote.

Sangeeta on Monday told journalist Ambreen Fatima that she had originally cast Naeema Butt in “Mukho” but withdrew the offer after Butt began suggesting which actors should play the lead roles.

She said that she asked for her advance back once Butt started making these requests, calling them unnecessary tantrums given Butt’s status as a newcomer compared to her own 50-year career. Sangeeta added that actors of her generation never displayed a similar attitude on set.

Mishi Khan also weighed in, addressing Sangeeta directly in a video message on Instagram on Tuesday.

She said that there is a difference between making a suggestion and making a demand, and that good suggestions should be considered regardless of who it comes from.

She advised Sangeeta to be more flexible, saying that it would bring freshness into her work and help update some of the industry’s older norms.