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"I have faced rejection like Rani in Queen"

Kangana has moved over boyfriends and b;lockbusters to find her own identity

Written By
Raghuvendra Singh
Written By Raghuvendra Singh
Features Writer & Copy Editor (Hindi)
Posted Fri, Mar 7, 2014
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Kangana Ranaut has been known to tame life to her terms. Her insistence on calling a spade a spade hasn’t gone down well in an industry known for its sycophantic zeal. Some plum projects got away from her. But she’s not complaining. She’s happy in her space, doing projects close to her heart. She managed to steal the thunder in Krissh 3, where she played a mutant. Her performance in Queen has got rave reviews in festivals worldwide. She plays a girl who goes on her honeymoon even when she’s ditched at the altar. She doesn’t need a man to make her happy -- that’s Kangana -- a strong woman who has learnt to live sans crutches...

An actor is able to live numerous lives in a single life... Agree?
An actor may live numerous lives but in reality you are living just one life; you’re entertaining others. Salim uncle (Khan) once told me that art is nurtured in loneliness and exhibited in a crowd. You always end up giving to your audiences. You can’t see anyone but everyone can see you. You don’t talk to anyone but everyone can hear you. You remain an object, you can never be a subject. This is what I was trying to break when I enrolled for a filmmaking course in New York. I don’t want to lose my rights as a common person to learn and grow.

Who is the real Kangana like – the stylish diva of Fashion or the desi girl of Tanu Weds Manu and now Queen?
I am a bit of all them. Rani in Queen is part of me, so is the candid Tanu. I also identify with Kaya’s strength in Krrish3. These all are facets of my personality.

You have also done films like Double Dhamaal and Rascals, where you had to do little...

When you are searching for yourself, searching for your priorities, then you tend to experiment. I did those films when I had no work. Whatever opportunity came my way, I tried to work it around in the best manner. I’m proud that at all times I’ve given my best. After Fashion, I began getting similar roles. The Dirty Picture did come to me but I refused it. I was slightly confused at that time.

Why did you do films like Rajjo and Mile Na Mile? For money?

Even if I did them only for money, this is an insensitive way of putting it. It’s derogatory for all the artistes related to these films. There was a time when I had no work. This was my personal decision, and I’m happy with it. I’m not saying that I did these films only for money and for no other reason. That won’t be completely true either.

When you received flak for such films, did you regret doing it?
If I took money and didn’t work to the best of my abilities, then I wouldn’t be able to look at myself. But as long as I’ve given my 100%, other things don’t matter. My self-confidence and self-respect doesn’t depend on the approval of others. It doesn’t matter to me if people approve or disapprove.

Since when have you developed this ‘to hell with the world’ attitude?
This has been my attitude since ever. My parents always wondered how I managed to have my way. Taking big decisions at a young age, always being overconfident… that’s how I’ve been since childhood.

When you watched films as an audience what was your idea of a film star?
When I was a kid, we weren’t allowed to watch films. I come from a middle-class family. I remember, when I was five or six, a tube light ad featuring Sridevi was aired. I’d tell my mother, “Mummy, we’ll break the TV and pull Sridevi out!” This became a family joke. When I grew up, I realised that filmstars looked so good, wore such nice clothes. But the common man didn’t know or bother where they came or what they did. Stars were not accessible.  My mother was a teacher while dad ran a construction business. My grandfather was an IAS officer and great grandfather was a minister in Himachal Pradesh for 15 years. So the pressure on academics was huge at home. There was no internet or mobile phones, no facebook, no twitter. 

Is it a good thing that stars are no longer unreachable?

It is good but it also has its shortcomings. Like I don’t like talking to strangers. I can’t talk to people whose faces I haven’t seen or voices I haven’t heard. I make friends with people whom I can connect with personally. That’s why I am not on Facebook or Twitter.

Which star was part of your fantasy?

I was never anyone’s fan. My cousin was mad about films. He would cut photos of stars and stick them on his walls. He once visited us during the summer vacations; the film Mohra had released then and everyone was talking about Akshay Kumar. He was pulled up for influencing us wrongly and also because he kept singing Tu cheez badi hai mast mast. Apart from him, no one had interest in films. 
 
Now that you are a star, how does your family react?

They haven’t changed. They can’t enjoy a film as an art form. They don’t think about how a film is made, what talent is.

If a Queen-like situation occurs in your life where the groom ditches the bride, would you set out on your honeymoon alone?
Yes, why not? If something sad happens in one’s life, one should not cry over it. Go out into the world; there’s a lot to explore.

Like Rani in Queen, have you faced rejection?

Yes, I have. But I don’t brood over it. If your equation with a person fails, it doesn’t mean that you have failed. I’ve learnt to deal with rejection, or what you call ‘dumping’ but for many it becomes a huge crisis. I believe a person has all the right to decide whether or not he/she wants to stay in a relationship. I’ve neither begged nor pleaded my boyfriend not to leave me. Most people get desperate and start begging. I respect the other person’s decision, keep myself emotionally strong and work towards ending the pain. (Laughs) I’m good with break-ups. I have rejected people as well; it’s part of life.
 
Did Queen require any preparation?
Yes, because Queen is different from me. She has no confidence, no self-respect; she can’t stand for herself. She is scared to make a mistake and even asks questions timidly. I had to work hard to get her body language right.

In Queen, you share the dialogue credit with Anvita Dutt...
This wasn’t a conscious decision. Initially, I used to make up my own dialogue while shooting; then director Vikas Behl asked me to express the way I thought Rani would. He gave me complete freedom. Later he said, “Most of the dialogue has been written by you. So I must give you the credit too.” It’s a great thing to respect an artiste’s work.


What are the benefits of coming from a small town?
I’ve seen life up close. I know how to appreciate small joys and how little is actually needed to stay happy. In Mandi (Himachal Pardesh), we’d laze on chatais (mats) under the sun during winters and felt as if we were in heaven. I must give credit to my family for bringing us up normally. We were taught to be sensitive towards the feelings of others. As an artiste that sensitivity helps me understand my characters well. I see Rani in my mother, in my sister.

Suppose you learn that the man you are dating is bisexual. Will you dump him?

If he’s cheating on me, whether with a girl or a boy, it implies the same thing. I will surely dump him.

Which actors do you find inspiring?
Guru Dutt inspires me. Then Aamir Khan. They have done great work.

You are never spotted hanging out with the younger actors like Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh...
You won’t believe it, but I simply can’t talk with people my age. Often my mother scolds me, “Why do you talk like a 50-year-old woman! You are 26, behave your age. You talk as if you’ve seen life, everything is over and you’ve reached retirement.” Perhaps, I’m mature for my age. I can’t play on PlayStation. I find it embarrassing. Varun is my age. But I can’t figure out what to talk with him.

So, who are the people with whom you can talk?

Aamir Khan, Salman Khan… They are on the same mental level as me. Salman is 22 years my senior. Guess some people mature faster. You can’t do anything about that.

Aamir Khan called you the ‘sexiest’ actress on Koffee With Karan...

Yes, Aamir did call me the sexiest actress. So what’s wrong in that? Kiran (Rao) and he have always encouraged me, whether it was in Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai or for Tanu Weds Manu. It means a lot.


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