Kangana Ranaut: That girl who broke the mould
How Kangana Ranaut turned her negatives into positives.
In the summer of 2006, a fair, frizzy-haired and lanky girl appeared on the silver screen. Her first brush with Bollywood was as unconventional as her looks - A moll neck-deep into loneliness and alcoholism. Nine years down the line, that moll has become the Queen. Yes, Kangana Ranaut is undoubtedly the Queen of 'character driven' cinema.
But how did she reach the throne? The path, though never smooth for anyone, was exceptionally thorny and uneven for this small-town-girl with traits stark opposite of a Bollywood actress. Her first brush with grease-paint stereotyped her in to a alcoholic, neurotic woman. No wonder after Gangster, all that we saw of Kangana for a long time was an extension of it. Remember Woh Lamhe, Life in a... Metro, Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Fashion and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai?
However, her attempt to break free from the stereotype bought her brickbats only. The powerhouse performer failed miserably in her attempts at nubile nymphet roles. Not only we, but probably she too secretly wishes that she was not part of Knock Out, No Problem, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Rascals, Double Dhamaal.
She soon understood where her strength lies, how to turn her negatives into positive. Because Kangana is not good at playing a Bollywood masala potboiler heroine she chose to tread the parallel path. And on this path nothing could stop her, neither her unconventional looks nor her accented English. She once confessed, her spectacular sense of dressing germinated from her desire to fit in to the Mumbai culture.
In her art, she blazed the trail with Tanu Weds Manu and further strengthened her footing with Queen and Revolver Rani. Despite, not working with YRF or Dharma Productions, Kangana is rubbing shoulders with the top rung actresses of Bollywood.
Kangana who it will be safe to say redefined Bollywood's female lead, is evolved beyond her age. She lives life on her own terms, calls spade a spade and remains surprisingly unaffected with stories surrounding her love life. In a way, Rani of Queen is Kangana in real life.
At 28, the national award winning actress has lead a life less ordinary. As a 16-year-old who left her home to pursue her dreams, to an abusive relationship with much older Aditya Pancholi, initial success, struggle to break the mold and finally becoming the 'one-woman-show' Kangana has been there and seen all. Probably,that's why she feels marriage is much ado about nothing, or chose to fly to New York to learn script writing, during award season.
Humble and unassuming, Kangana is that small-town girl who dared to dream big and made it big.
Here's an interview of Kangana, where she opens up about career, competition, Bollywood, marriage and love. The most honest interview of an actress I have come across.