Kangna has a gift very few actresses have. A face so versatile, that with each new movie, you wonder if it’s the same girl you saw earlier. At Cosmo’s 6am covershoot, she is the first to arrive, as fresh as you can get at the crack of dawn, and has thoughts on everything...the clothes, the make-up, the photographs. She’s only 23, but already the perfect combination of tough and charming, and that’s probably one of the things that have helped take her to the top and made her an inspiration for young girls wanting to make it big without being born into the industry. Determined, driven and motivated to keep going until she has it all, the curly-haired star bears her soul, style, and sensibility to Cosmo...
Cosmo: Do you remember the first shot that you gave? How was it going from girl-nextdoor, to glamorous diva?
Kangna Ranaut: I was just 17 when I started, from a small town, and far removed from the world of glamour. So it wasn’t like I was really aware of what a big deal it was until I actually started filming. It’s only when Gangster became this big hit, people appreciated my work, and I took all the awards home for the movie that it actually started to sink in.
Cosmo: What was your childhood like?
KR: Simple and happy. My family has lived in Himachal for a long time. My great-grandfather was a freedom fighter and became a minister later. He was a pioneer in getting things moving and did some very cool things like bringing electricity to our village. My grandfather was an IAS officer, and my father runs a business, while my mother is a primary school teacher. So I come from an old, established family in that community, and my getting into films was certainly something unexpected. Even as a child, I had a strong sense of fashion. I would pair up accessories and clothes that, to my neighbours, would seem just bizarre. I guess I’ve always loved to experiment with my look and I did start pretty young, too.
Cosmo:Were you the Ms Goody two-shoes girl, or a rebellious teenager?
KR: I think most teenagers go through a phase of finding themselves and their own identity. Sometimes, that’s wild and over the top, and sometimes, it’s more subtle. I was a science student, but I always knew I wanted to do something different. I tried a bit of modelling, but that didn’t work out; however, it did lead me to theatre, which I loved, and then that led to films— something I feel very passionate about. I followed my heart—if that is rebellious, then yes, I was certainly a rebel!
Cosmo: What’s the one thing you hate and love about being a star?
KR: There is amazing creative talent surrounding you—photographers, directors, scriptwriters, and actors. I don’t know if there’s anything I hate, but the scrutiny your private life is put under is certainly not fun.
Cosmo: You’ve done a lot of dark roles in the past...are you a sombre person in real life?
KR: Not at all! When you are an outsider, it’s not like you have a choice of scripts and roles. You take what you get. The industry is very unforgiving to outsiders. If Gangster was a flop, I would not have got a second chance. But for that film, I won 13 awards. Now, after hits like Life In A Metro, Raaz, Fashion, and Once Upon A Time, people have started offering me a variety of roles. That’s great and it works for me.
