Ranaut's career prospects improved in 2013 when she played amutant in the superhero filmKrrish 3, one of thehighest-grossing Indian films. She won two consecutiveNational Film Awards for Best Actress for playing an abandoned bride in the comedy-dramaQueen (2014) and a dual role in the comedy sequelTanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), which was the biggest-earning female-led Hindi film at the time. This was followed by several commercial failures and a decline in stardom, with the sole exception of her co-directorial epic actionManikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019). Her portrayal of thetitular warrior in it and her part as a sportswoman inPanga (2020) jointly earned her a fourth National Film Award. In Ranaut's second directorial, the poorly received biographical dramaEmergency (2025), she portrayedIndira Gandhi.
In 2020, Ranaut launched her own production company, Manikarnika Films, under which she works as a director and a producer. She is known to be outspoken in interviews and on social media, addressing private and public matters. The opinions she has voiced, aligning withright-wing ideologies and supporting theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with frequent clashes in her personal and professional relationships, have sparked controversy.
Early life and background
Kangna Amardeep Ranaut[1][2] was born on 23 March 1986[a][3] at Bhambla (now Surajpur), a small town in theMandi district ofHimachal Pradesh, into aRajput family.[4][5][6][7] Her mother, Asha Ranaut, is a school teacher, and her father, Amardeep Ranaut, is a businessman.[8] She has an elder sister, Rangoli Chandel, who as of 2014[update] works as her manager, and a younger brother, Akshat.[9][10] Her great-grandfather, Sarju Singh Ranaut, was aMember of the Legislative Assembly, and her grandfather was anIAS officer.[11] She grew up in ajoint family at their ancestralhaveli (mansion) in Bhambla and described her childhood as "simple and happy".[10][12]
According to Ranaut, she was "stubborn and rebellious" while growing up: "If my father would gift my brother a plastic gun and get a doll for me, I would not accept that. I questioned the discrimination."[13] She did not subscribe to the stereotypes that were expected of her and experimented with fashion from a young age, often pairing up accessories and clothes that would seem "bizarre" to her neighbours.[12][13] Ranaut was educated at theDAV School inChandigarh, where she pursued science as her core subject, remarking that she was "very studious" and "always paranoid about [...] results".[14][15] She initially intended to become a doctor on the insistence of her parents.[16] However, a failed unit test inchemistry during hertwelfth grade led Ranaut to reconsider her career prospects and despite preparing for theAll India Pre Medical Test, she did not turn up for the exam.[16] Determined to find her "space and freedom", she relocated toDelhi at the age of sixteen.[9][17] Her decision not to pursue medicine led to constant feuding with her parents and her father refused to sponsor a pursuit he considered to be aimless.[13]
In Delhi, Ranaut was unsure which career to choose; theElite Modelling Agency were impressed by her looks and suggested that she model for them.[8][17] She took on a few modelling assignments, but generally disliked the career as she found "no scope for creativity".[8][17] Ranaut decided to shift focus towards acting and joined the Asmita Theatre Group, where she trained under the theatre directorArvind Gaur.[18] She participated in Gaur's theatre workshop at theIndia Habitat Centre, acting in several of his plays, including theGirish Karnad-scriptedTaledanda.[19] During a performance, when one of the male actors went missing, Ranaut played his part along with her original role of a woman.[20] A positive reaction from the audience prompted her to relocate toMumbai to pursue a career in film and she enrolled herself for a four-month acting course in Asha Chandra's drama school.[21]
Ranaut struggled with her meager earnings during this period, eating only "bread andaachar (pickle)". Refusing her father's financial assistance led to a rift in their relationship which she later regretted.[11][13] Her relatives were unhappy with her decision to enter the film-making industry,[9] and they did not correspond with her for several years.[6][10][13] She reconciled with them after the release ofLife in a... Metro in 2007.[10]
In 2004, the producers Ramesh Sharma and Pahlaj Nilani announced that Ranaut would make her film debut with the Deepak Shivdasani-directedI Love You Boss.[7][23] The following year, an agent took her to the office of the producerMahesh Bhatt, where she interacted with the directorAnurag Basu and auditioned for the lead role in the romantic thrillerGangster: A Love Story.[17][24] Bhatt felt she was too young for the role and signedChitrangada Singh instead. However, Singh was later unavailable to do the film and Ranaut was contracted as a replacement forGangster,[24] opting out ofI Love You Boss.[23] She was cast in the central role of Simran, an alcoholic woman caught in a romantic triangle between a notorious gangster (Shiney Ahuja) and a sympathetic friend (Emraan Hashmi). Ranaut was only seventeen while filming and said that she "had difficulty first in understanding and then unwinding from the character", describing her craft as "raw and immature".[25] Released in 2006,Gangster emerged as a critical and commercial success.[26][27] Raja Sen ofRediff.com said that "Kangana is a remarkable find, the actress coming across with great conviction".[28] She won theFilmfare Award for Best Female Debut, along with various other debut awards.[29]
Ranaut's next role was in theMohit Suri-directed dramaWoh Lamhe... (2006), a semi-biographical film based on theschizophrenic actressParveen Babi and her relationship with the director Mahesh Bhatt.[30] She said that portraying Babi had left her emotionally drained, as she had begun to "feel her desolation and loneliness."[31] The film critic Subhash K. Jha ofSify wrote that Ranaut was the first Hindi film actress sinceSmita Patil andShabana Azmi "who isn't scared to strip her soul naked for the camera", adding that she is a "hugely expressive actress with a phenomenal ability to convey torment, hurt and incredulity through the eyes".[32] Despite positive reviews, the film underperformed at the box office.[33][34]
The following year, Ranaut portrayed an aspiring musician inSuneel Darshan's musical thrillerShakalaka Boom Boom, alongsideBobby Deol,Upen Patel andCelina Jaitly.[35] The film's production was marred by a dispute between Ranaut and Darshan; she objected to her voice being dubbed by another artist, but he insisted that he needed a particular "twang and accent" for her character.[36]India Today described the film as an "amateur mess" and the film proved to be a box office flop.[27][37] She next reunited with Anurag Basu for theensemble dramaLife in a... Metro, playing the supporting role of Neha, a shrewd socialite engaged in an affair with her married boss (Kay Kay Menon). Despite a poor initial run at the box office, the film emerged as a profitable venture.[38]Khalid Mohamed ofHindustan Times was critical of the film, noting its lack of originality and realism.[39] In a more positive review, Raja Sen wrote that Ranaut "is refreshing [...] and manages to herd her emotions well, playing a complex role but hardly ever overreaching", but criticised her delivery of English lines.[40] For her role, Ranaut was awarded theStardust Award for Breakthrough Performance – Female.[29]
Ranaut next portrayed a village girl inDhaam Dhoom (2008), aTamil romantic thriller, oppositeJayam Ravi. Production on the film was temporarily halted when the director,Jeeva, died of cardiac arrest and the film was completed by the crew members.[41] A review carried byPost wrote that Ranaut had "little scope" in a role that did not suit her.[42]India Today described her next film, the dramaFashion (2008), as a "landmark" in her career.[26] Set against the backdrop of the Indian fashion industry, the film features Ranaut as Shonali Gujral, asubstance abusing supermodel struggling to cope with her foundering career. Because the media speculated that her role was based on the former model Geetanjali Nagpal (which Ranaut denied),[43] theDelhi Commission for Women ordered a stay on the film's release, approving it only after a script narration.[b] With a worldwide revenue of₹600 million (US$7.1 million),Fashion was a commercial success.[46][47] Ranaut's performance drew unanimous critical acclaim.[26][48]Taran Adarsh ofBollywood Hungama praised her confident portrayal of the character,[49] andNikhat Kazmi added that she "does an exquisite metamorphosis from a wispy, high-strung, nervous child-woman to a stunning ramp diva."[50] Ranaut's portrayal earned her several awards, including theNational Film Award andFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[29]
2009–2012: Career fluctuations
The supernatural horror filmRaaz: The Mystery Continues from director Mohit Suri was Ranaut's first film release of 2009, in which she played a successful model who is possessed by a ghost.[51] The film co-starred Emraan Hashmi andAdhyayan Suman and proved to be a financial success.[27]Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express noted that Ranaut was becoming stereotyped in roles that required her to be "hysterical", adding that she needed a "radical change of image".[52] Also that year, she played the leading lady in the dramaVaada Raha and theTelugu action filmEk Niranjan, neither of which attracted particular notice.[26]
In a brief role in Anurag Basu's romantic thrillerKites (2010), Ranaut portrayed the fiancée ofHrithik Roshan's character. She said that she felt cheated after watching the film, as her role turned out much smaller than what she had initially signed up for.[53] She then portrayed fictional film actress Rehana in theMilan Luthria-directed gangster filmOnce Upon a Time in Mumbaai.[54] Also starringAjay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi andPrachi Desai, the film chronicles the rise and subsequent fall of an underworld don (Devgn) in the 1970s. Ranaut said that her character was "a mix" of the actressMadhubala and the gangsterHaji Mastan's wife and that to prepare she observed the work of the actressesZeenat Aman and Parveen Babi.[55] The film was one of the most successful releases of the year and garnered positive reviews from critics.[56][57]Kaveree Bamzai ofIndia Today argued that Ranaut had "never looked lovelier and been more playful", andMid-Day's Sarita Tanwar found her "totally convincing" in the part.[58][59] After playing a television reporter in the thrillerKnock Out (2010), Ranaut actively looked for a comedy and found the role inAnees Bazmee'sNo Problem (2010), but both films failed to propel her career forward.[26][60]
Having established a reputation for often taking onneurotic characters, Ranaut sought projects that would be "less emotionally exhausting".[61] Her first release of 2011 wasAnand L. Rai'sTanu Weds Manu, a romantic comedy oppositeR. Madhavan, which she considers a "game changer" for her.[62][63] She played Tanuja "Tanu" Trivedi, a foul-mouthed, free-spirited and rebellious university student fromKanpur who enters anarranged marriage with Manu (Madhavan), a London-based Indian doctor.[64] Rai stated that he cast her for the role to illustrate that the actress was capable of playing other roles and that her character in the film was unlike any of those that she had played previously.[65] Critical reaction to the film was mixed, though her performance was praised.[27][29][66]Rajeev Masand wrote: "Kangana Ranaut is a pleasant surprise in a cheery, upbeat part that we haven't seen her take on before. She rises to the challenge, only hampered occasionally by her mangled dialogue delivery."[67] She received Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, includingScreen andZee Cine.[68][69]
Ranaut followed the success ofTanu Weds Manu by starring in a series of brief, glamorous roles in four other films of 2011:Game,Double Dhamaal,Rascals andMiley Naa Miley Hum. With the exception ofDouble Dhamaal, none of these films performed well.[26][27] In a review forRascals, Gaurav Malani ofThe Times of India wrote: "Kangana Ranaut is ill at ease in comedy. She struggles to hold her own and emerges as abimbo in her act."[70] Ranaut later admitted that she accepted some of these films due to a dearth of film offers as well as financial gain.[71][72] The following year, she had a supporting role oppositeAjay Devgn inPriyadarshan's action thrillerTezz, another box-office flop.[27]
2013–2015: Established actress
The directorSanjay Gupta cast Ranaut in a brief role oppositeJohn Abraham in the crime thrillerShootout at Wadala (2013) due to her ability to stand out in a predominantly male-centric film.[73] TheDaily News and Analysis' Tushar Joshi wrote that her role was written "to provide the sex quotient" and critic Vinayak Chakravorty opined that she "does not get much scope [...] beyond the steamy lovemaking grind".[74][75] Commercially, the film performed moderately well.[27]
Ranaut achieved success later in 2013 for her portrayal of Kaya, ashapeshiftingmutant inRakesh Roshan's superhero filmKrrish 3, alongside Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra andVivek Oberoi.[76][77] She initially declined the offer, given her disappointment with her role inKites, which Rakesh Roshan produced.[53] After other actresses had similarly turned down the role, Roshan approached Ranaut again and promised a better role, and she eventually accepted.[78][53] Critics thought thatKrrish 3 was entertaining but lacking in originality, though her performance garnered praise.[26][79] Sarita Tanwar ofDaily News and Analysis said "she is delightful as an alien making the weird hair and clothes work for her. She even manages to make you feel her pain. Quite an accomplishment that!"[80] Earning₹3 billion (US$35 million) worldwide, it emerged as one of thehighest-grossing Bollywood films of all time, becoming Ranaut's most financially profitable venture.[27][81] She later played the eponymous lead in the musical dramaRajjo (2013), a critical and commercial failure.[27] Her portrayal of anautch girl was largely criticised,[82] with Rediff.com's Paloma Sharma commenting that she "struggles with herMumbaiyya dialogues and is not as graceful in the dance sequences as one would have expected".[83]
In 2014, Ranaut reinforced her status as a leading actress of Hindi cinema when she featured in thecoming-of-age dramedyQueen; she also co-wrote the dialogues withAnvita Dutt Guptan.[84][85] She played Rani, a naive girl who embarks on her honeymoon alone after her fiancé (Rajkummar Rao) calls off their wedding. Ranaut, who describes herself as "independent and confident", reflected that the role was one of the toughest she had played, as the character's personality traits contrasted with her own.[86][87] The film and Ranaut's performance received unanimous acclaim from critics.[88] Devesh Sharma ofFilmfare wrote that the fact that she "flits from one aspect of her character to another without breaking stride shows her maturity as an actor";Sudhish Kamath ofThe Hindu wrote: "Ranaut as Rani, in a role of a lifetime, makesQueen an absolutely delightful journey. She wins us over first with innocence, small-town charm, vulnerability, spirit, strength, warmth and her gradual confidence."[89][90] The filmexceeded expectations to emerge as a significant box-office hit,[91][92] and Ranaut won both theFilmfare Award and theNational Film Award for Best Actress for it.[93][94]Queen has developed a cult status over the years and received scholarly recognition as an influential feminist film.[84][95]
Ranaut followed this success by playing an aggressive politician in the black comedyRevolver Rani and a medical intern in the political dramaUngli (both 2014).[96][97][98] Also that year, she made her production and directorial debut with an English languageshort film entitledThe Touch, dealing with the relationship between a four-year-old boy and a dog; she co-wrote the screenplay with an Australian writer and filmed it in America.[99][100]
The following year, Ranaut starred inTanu Weds Manu Returns (2015), a sequel toTanu Weds Manu, in which she portrayed dual roles—she reprised the character of Tanuja from the original and played the newly added part of Datto, an aspiringHaryanvi athlete.[101] In preparation for the latter role, she interacted with students of theUniversity of Delhi in disguise; in addition, she attended workshops to learn theHaryanvi language and trained in the sport oftriple jump.[102] The film received positive reviews from critics and Ranaut's performance was considered its prime asset.[103] Sweta Kaushal ofHindustan Times praised her for perfecting the body languages and accents of the two women, andSaibal Chatterjee ofNDTV wrote that she "fleshes out this pair of distinct individuals with such energy and finesse that it becomes difficult at times to tell that it is the same actress playing the two roles".[104][105]Tanu Weds Manu Returns earned over₹2.4 billion (US$28 million) worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood film featuring a female protagonist.[91][106] Ranaut won aFilmfare Critics Award and a second consecutive National Film Award for Best Actress, and received an additional Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.[107][108][109]
Also in 2015, Ranaut appeared in the romantic comediesI Love NY (a production delayed since 2013) andNikkhil Advani'sKatti Batti, both of which failed at the box office.[26][110] The latter saw her play oppositeImran Khan as a cancer patient, a role that critic Uday Bhatia ofMint thought "lack[ed] the sort of definition she's had in her last few roles".[111]
2017–present: Professional expansion and commercial failures
After a year-long absence from the screen, Ranaut starred as Julia, a 1940s heroine and stunt-woman modelled on the actressFearless Nadia inVishal Bhardwaj's romanceRangoon (2017). She played the part as an "amalgamation of many characters" from that era and was particularly drawn toward its "fierceness and sensuality".[112] She learned horse-riding and sword fighting and performed her own stunts.[112] Media reports suggested a feud between Ranaut and Kapoor, and although they denied these, both stars publicly commented against the other.[113]Rangoon received generally positive reviews, with praise directed at Ranaut's performance.[114] Rohit Vats ofHindustan Times called her "terrific",[115] andNDTV ranked her as one of the best actresses of the year.[116] She received a nomination for the Filmfare Critics Award.[117] The same year,Hansal Mehta's crime comedySimran saw her in the role of aGujarati immigrant in the United States who perpetrates a series of bank robberies to cover her debts. For the part, she learned Gujarati to improve her diction.[118] She shared the screenwriting credit withApurva Asrani for improvising several dialogues on set, but Asrani accused Ranaut and Mehta for not valuing his contributions to the script.[119][120] Her performance inSimran was praised.[121][122] BothRangoon andSimran failed at the box office.[123][124]
At the67th National Film Awards, Ranaut was awarded a third Best Actress Award, forManikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019) andPanga (2020).[125] For the former, a biopic of the Indian freedom fighterRani of Jhansi, she also served as a co-director whenKrish left the film after frequently clashing with Ranaut.[126][127] Her co-starSonu Sood also quit the production due to disagreements with her.[128] Ranaut subsequently reshot a significant portion of the film, due to which its production cost doubled.[129] The film opened to moderate mainstream success and mostly positive reviews,[130][131] with primary emphasis placed on Ranaut's forceful presence in the role of the eponymous heroine.[132][133] Rajeev Masand considered the film to be "a deliberately simplistic film; an old-fashioned patriotic saga told in the broadest of strokes, and with full nationalist fervor", but he commended Ranaut's "extraordinary performance", noting the way she "commands the screen with a fiery, arresting presence, never letting your attention wander away from her".[134]
In her second film release of 2019, Ranaut reunited with Rajkummar Rao in the black comedyJudgementall Hai Kya, directed byPrakash Kovelamudi. She played an eccentric, mentally ill woman who seeks to expose a man (played by Rao) whom she suspects of killing his wife.[135] Shubhra Gupta considered her to be "terrific" in the part and found "connections between what's happening on screen and Ranaut's off-screen seemingly off-kilter joustings which routinely make so much news of the wrong kind."[136][137] The film underperformed at the box office, which Ranaut attributed to the high production costs resulting from her salary.[138][139]Sukanya Verma listed Ranaut's performance in the film as one of the year's best, finding it "decidedly more complicated and twisted" than her "riveting" turn inManikarnika.[140] Ranaut received Filmfare Award nominations for her performances in both films.[141]
Ranaut began the new decade withAshwiny Iyer Tiwari's sports dramaPanga. She portrayed Jaya Nigam, a formerkabaddi world champion who is encouraged by her husband to return to the sport. In preparation for the part, she underwent daily training over a period of five months and followed a strict, wholesome diet.[142]Anupama Chopra ofFilm Companion noted the sensitivity in her performance, and Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times commented: "Ranaut makes Jaya credible and specific; she’s not an every woman or every mom or every athlete. She’s this one, Jaya, and Ranaut makes you care about what kind of place she can find for herself in the world."[143]
In 2020, Ranaut founded her production company, Manikarnika Films, and the next year, appeared in the biopicThalaivii (2021), in which she andArvind Swamy played the actor-turned-politiciansJ. Jayalalithaa andM. G. Ramachandran, respectively.[144] For the part, Ranaut gained 20 kg (44 lb).[145][146] The film met with mixed reviews from critics, who generally praised her performance.Baradwaj Rangan complimented her choice to not imitate Jayalalithaa but rather channel "the lack of power, the frustrations, the disappointments and the fact of what it meant to be a woman in politics back then", concluding that she "puts all of this across beautifully"; in contrast, Srivatsan S. fromThe Hindu believed she was miscast in the role, adding that Swamy's role is more lengthy than that of Ranaut.[147] Her performance gained her aSIIMA Award for Best Actress – Tamil.[148] She was nominated for a Filmfare Award for the part but expressed strong discontent over it, accusingFilmfare of being corrupt and unethical in their awarding system and threatening to sue them if her name was not withdrawn; her nomination was revoked for what the association rejected as "false accusations".[149]
In 2022, Ranaut hosted thereality showLock Upp, which streamed onALTBalaji andMX Player to strong viewership.[150] She then played a spy in the action filmDhaakad.[151] It was her eighth box-office failure among her last nine films, with publications such asBollywood Hungama andBox Office India commenting on her waning popularity.[152][153] In 2023, she produced theblack comedy filmTiku Weds Sheru, starringNawazuddin Siddiqui andAvneet Kaur, which was panned by critics.[154] She next played the title role of a dancer in the Tamil comedy horror sequelChandramukhi 2 (2023).[155] The film was panned by critics and was a major commercial failure.[156] In a scathing review,Firstpost's Priyanka Sundar dismissed her performance as "melodramatic".[157] Ranaut next portrayed the titularIndian Air Force pilot in the dramaTejas.[158] Response to her performance was varied.[159][160][161] Once again, it had meagre box-office returns.[162]
Ranaut portrayedIndira Gandhi in her second directorial project,Emergency, about the1977 Indian Emergency.[163][164] Initially scheduled for release in 2024, the film failed to gain approval from theCentral Board of Film Certification, and was eventually released after censorship in 2025.[165] Its controversial subject matter, particularly the representation of theSikhs, led to bans and protests in Punjab.[166][167][168]Emergency was unpopular among critics and had poor financial returns.[169][170] JournalistCoomi Kapoor, whose bookThe Emergency: A Personal History was a key reference for the film, sent legal notices to Ranaut and the film’s digital partner Netflix, accusing them of distorting historical facts and misrepresenting her work.[171]
Ranaut will next reunite with R. Madhavan in an as-yet untitled physiological thriller film.[172]
Political opinions and career
Ranaut identifies withright-wing ideologies,[173][174][175] and is a supporter of theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime MinisterNarendra Modi.[176][177][178] An active commenter on social media, she often expresses political views,[174] speaks of her religious affiliation and activity,[179] and voices criticism of liberals as well as the Hindi film industry.[180][173][181] Her direct ways and confrontational manner, as evidenced in several well-reported public clashes with colleagues around her views, have attracted some media scrutiny.[173][182] In May 2021, Twitter permanently suspended her account for repeated violations of the company's abusive behaviour and hateful conduct policies.[183][184] She returned to the platform when the ban was lifted in January 2023.[185]
Ranaut has been active on commenting on political figures, some of which have resulted in serious criticism and backlash from several political leaders. She criticized then Chief MinisterUddhav Thackeray and his Government for mishandling thedeath of Sushant Singh Rajput in September 2020, following which several Shiv Sena leaders, includingSanjay Raut issued death threats to her.[186] Additionally, on the orders of Shiv Sena leadership, theBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation issued a backdated notice for illegal modifications of her house and demolished the illegal portions. Following the demolishion, theBombay High Court criticized the BMC and ruled in her favour, noting that BMC acted with malice and ordered the BMC to pay compensation to Ranaut.[187] Given the nature of threats, Ranaut was given security from theCentral Reserve Police Force from the Central Government.[188] In November 2021, Ranaut termed India’s 1947 independence as "bheek" (alms) and stated that the country only attained "real freedom" in 2014 when the BJP came into power, a remark that drew widespread criticism across the political spectrum.[189][190][191]
Ranaut has stated that her initial years in the film industry were marred with difficulties as she was unprepared to be an actress.[25] She was conscious of her poor command of the English language and struggled to "fit in".[25] In a 2013 interview withDaily News and Analysis, she recollected:
"People in the industry treated me like I didn't deserve to be spoken to and I was some unwanted object. I couldn't speak English fluently and people made fun of me for that. So dealing with rejection became a part of life. ... All that has taken a toll, I guess. I find it hard to deal with praise. Today, when people say that I have made it and made it on my own, I feel like locking up myself somewhere ... It scares me."[199]
During the struggle, Ranaut found support in the actorAditya Pancholi and his wifeZarina Wahab and considered them her "family away from home".[200] She became embroiled in a well publicised scandal when the media speculated on the nature of her relationship with Pancholi.[201] She declined to speak about it openly, although she made several public appearances with him.[202] In 2007 it was reported that Ranaut had filed a police complaint against Pancholi for physically assaulting her under the influence of alcohol.[203][204] The following year Pancholi confirmed the affair in an interview, saying that he had been cohabiting with Ranaut in the past and accused her of owing him₹2.5 million (US$30,000).[205] In response, Ranaut's spokesperson said that "after physically assaulting her in the middle of a road, he has no right to expect anything from her", adding that she had "already given₹5 million (US$59,000) to [him] as a goodwill gesture".[205] Ranaut later said that the incident had left her "physically and mentally" damaged.[13]
While filmingRaaz: The Mystery Continues in 2008, Ranaut began a romantic relationship with co-star Adhyayan Suman.[206] On Suman's insistence that he focus on his professional career, the couple separated the following year.[207] From 2010 to 2012, she was involved in a long-distance romance with Nicholas Lafferty, an English doctor;[208][209] she described the relationship as "the most normal" she ever had, but the couple split amicably as she was not ready for marriage.[25][199] She has since maintained that she will never get married,[25][208] and has expressed a desire to not be bound by a relationship.[210] In 2016,Hrithik Roshan, her co-star fromKrrish 3, filed a lawsuit against Ranaut accusing her of cyber stalking and harassment. Denying the charges, Ranaut filed a counter-charge against Roshan, claiming that his lawsuit was an attempt to cover-up their affair for the benefit of his divorce proceedings.[211] The case was closed later that year owing to lack of evidence.[212]
Ranaut lives in Mumbai with her sister Rangoli, who was the victim of anacid attack in 2006.[213] She makes yearly visits to her hometown of Bhambla.[13] A practicingHindu, Ranaut follows the teachings of the spiritual leaderSwami Vivekananda and considers meditation to be "the highest form of worshipping God".[214] She practices vegetarianism and was listed as "India's hottest vegetarian" in a poll conducted byPETA in 2013.[215] Since 2009 she has been studying the dance form ofKathak from the Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir.[216] She has said that the technical process of filmmaking is of tremendous interest to her,[217] and to better her understanding of it Ranaut enrolled in a two-month screenplay writing course at theNew York Film Academy in 2014.[218][219] In an interview withFilmfare she said that despite her stardom, she wants to lead a normal life: "I don't want to lose my rights as a common person to learn and grow".[71]
Public image and artistry
Ranaut at theSignature International Fashion Weekend in 2013
In the bookActing Smart: Your Ticket to Showbiz,Tisca Chopra describes Ranaut as a "free-spirited, original creative" person "who cannot really be slotted in a particular mould".[220] Ranaut is particularly known for her forthrightness in expressing her opinions in public on issues ranging from film to feminism.[9][221] A televised 2013 interview hosted by Anupama Chopra in which Ranaut spoke out against gender bias and nepotism in Bollywood wentviral online, which led Sunaina Kumar ofTehelka to write: "In this age of cookie-cutter heroines with stock responses, Kangana Ranaut is refreshingly real and honest."[221] Noted for paving her way to stardom without prior connections in the film industry, she was described by Kaveree Bamzai as "a permanent outsider who can play the game better than most insiders".[222][176] Ranaut had a public fallout with the filmmakerKaran Johar when she accused him ofnepotism during achat show appearance in 2017.[223] She has since continued to advocate against nepotism in the industry,[224][180] more so after thedeath of Sushant Singh Rajput, when she accused influential film professionals of having "systematically sabotaged" his career.[173][225]
Analysing Ranaut's career, the journalist Parmita Uniyal, in 2014, noted that she "loves to challenge herself with tricky roles and manages to add a different dimension to her character every time."[20] A reviewer for Rediff.com described her in 2013 as a "director's actress" who is susceptible to both "shine and crumble under the right/wrong guidance".[226] Anand L. Rai (the director ofTanu Weds Manu) says that Ranaut actively pursues roles in which she can "work in her own space and not become a mere prop in the male-dominated Bollywood", and Milan Luthria (the director ofOnce Upon a Time in Mumbaai) labels her a chameleon for her transformative acting ability.[20][176] Alongside actressVidya Balan, Ranaut has been credited for spearheading a movement that breaks stereotypes of a Hindi film heroine by playing the protagonist in films not starring a well-known male star.[227] Namrata Joshi wrote that Ranaut's unconventional choices of parts and films set her apart from her contemporaries.[228][229] According toBBC News' Shailaja Bajpai, Ranaut is an "outstanding performer" and a natural actress who has played "strong, unusual women" which have helped her carve a "special niche for herself".[173] AfterRangoon, Anupama Chopra hailed her as "arguably the finest actress working in Hindi cinema today".[230] In 2023, Rajeev Masand named her one of Hindi cinema's best actresses.[231]
Following the success ofQueen andTanu Weds Manu Returns,Deccan Chronicle labelled Ranaut as "one of the most bankable actresses in the industry", andDaily News and Analysis reported that she had emerged as one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood.[232][233] She was featured byForbes India in their annualCelebrity 100 list in 2012, 2014–2017, and 2019.[234][235][236] In 2017,Forbes calculated her annual salary to be₹320 million (US$3.8 million), one of the highest amongst actresses in the country.[237] She was featured inThe Indian Express's listing of the most powerful Indians from 2017 to 2019, and again in 2022.[238]
Ranaut has been cited as asex symbol and style icon in India.[222][239][240] Analysing her off-screen persona,Hindustan Times published that she was initially written off by Indian journalists due to her "funny accent" and the negative publicity generated by her troubled relationships; however, her defining fashion choices and her unconventional film roles eventually established her as a star.[241] She has frequently featured in listings of the most attractive and stylish celebrities in India. She ranked among the top 10 onThe Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Woman" in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2015.[242][243][244] Ranaut was featured onVerve's listing of the most powerful women of 2010 and in 2012 she was named the "Best Dressed Personality" by the Indian edition ofPeople.[245][246] In 2013, she featured as one of the best-dressed women celebrities byVogue India.[247] The journalist Jagmeeta Thind Joy credits the actress for her "quirky, almost non-Bollywood take on personal style", adding that she "likes to shock and awe with her choices".[14] She has collaborated with the fashion brandVero Moda to launch two clothing lines for the company—Marquee and Venice Cruise—in 2015 and 2016, respectively.[248][249]
^A copy of Ranaut's passport, leaked in 2016, gives her year of birth as 1986.[2]
^ Geetanjali Nagpal was a controversial model in the 1990s whose substance abuse led her to the streets ofDelhi. The DCW, who had represented her during court proceedings and helped her recovery throughrehabilitation, was concerned that a negative depiction of her life would "affect her physical or mental health adversely".[44][45]
^Chatterjee, Saibal (27 October 2023)."Tejas Review: An Air Combat Thriller Has Never Been So Frustratingly Airy-Fairy".NDTV.Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved27 October 2023.This is a Kangana Ranaut show all the way and that is the film's biggest undoing. There isn't a single fleeting moment - forget an entire sequence - in Tejas in which the lead performer is convincing.
^abK. Jha, Subhash (23 June 2008)."Gimme my money Kangna".The Times of India.Archived from the original on 10 April 2014. Retrieved28 March 2014.
^Ganguly, Prithwish (28 December 2008)."Here's one more 'Raaz'".Daily News and Analysis.Archived from the original on 28 March 2014. Retrieved28 March 2014.
^Deshmukh, Ashwini (8 June 2008)."Kangana-Adhyayan split".The Times of India.Archived from the original on 14 June 2009. Retrieved28 March 2014.
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