In 2014, Kangana Ranaut had a big hit with Queen , which also won her the National Award for Best Actress. With Tanu Weds Manu Returns ( TWMR ) turning out to be a blockbuster, she has once again proved that box office success follows great performances.
What has been the most heartening thing about the stupendous success ofTWMR?
It is the extent to which our audiences are maturing. They are used to seeing a certain pattern of acting and cinema. Now, they are enjoying performances too. A performance finer than mine, that of Irrfan Khan in Piku, is also being loved and has drawn people to theatres.
From what I have observed, audiences now look to connect with real people. For example, look at how people have reacted to Datto, the Haryanvi character I play in TWMR . Even in the women-led film space, the heroine-oriented film had an attractive, aspirational leading lady, be it Pakeezah or Mother India . But Datto is not like the usual heroine. Neither was Rani in Queen — she was shy, unsure and didn’t aspire to look glamorous. Yet, people loved her.
After watching TWMR, I was surprised that audiences love Datto — her choices, personality and even mannerisms. Some in the audience even noticed the quirk I had added: each time Datto feels unsure, she flicks her hair.
It feels good when people say that my only competition today is myself. I have worked hard to play these strong women; and when audiences say that, I know I have to keep doing better; I think I have a lot to give as an actor.
Tanu and Datto are both sharp but otherwise different people; which one did you relate to?
I wasn’t like Tanu at all. She is impulsive and a rebel without a cause; she never has a reason and therefore, lacks focus. If you look at the first film, she was popular in college but never pursued a career or future. After marriage, Tanu couldn’t make it work. Datto, on the other hand, shows emotional maturity. I can connect to her. I am very focussed. To my parents, I was quite intelligent, the child who held promise for a bright future. Now my parents are very proud that I have become a star, though initially they were perturbed when I chose not to pursue studies and opted for acting. I had a rebellious nature, questioning certain conventions and practices. It was okay for a man to be anything, but a woman was always categorised as beautiful or not. I hated that. How can anyone judge women like that?
You have proved that you aremore popular than quite a fewleading men. Whom do you want to work with in future?
(Smiles) You know the one actor I really look up to is Irrfan Khan. We almost did a film together. I am not sure what’s happening to that now, and I hope we end up doing it. He gave me the biggest compliment after watching TWMR, and said, ‘How do two swords exist in the same scabbard?’ Coming from him, that’s the greatest compliment ever. Irrfan and I both pick scripts where we play powerful, key roles. Usually, our films are written around one character, like Rani in Queen. So a suitable script for both of us might be hard to come by.
You have rejected a lucrative fairness cream endorsementon moral grounds.Don’t youlike being tagged as beautiful?
Right from childhood, I have been called pretty and this wasn’t something I liked. I mean, I am so much more than just a beautiful girl — I would like to be known for my work, for my personality. With all the lighting, make-up, etc., our heroines look gorgeous onscreen which is unreal. And every young girl tries to become like them and never feels quite good enough about how she looks. The moment you categorise a girl as per her looks, you limit her. It’s fine to be healthy and take care of oneself, but to go to extremes to look beautiful is not right.
According to me, the most beautiful woman in an Indian film is Seema Biswas. That’s my idea of beauty — look at her deliver that performance in Bandit Queen. Therefore, I have very different notions of who or what is beautiful. When people judge me by my looks, I would rather stay away and not respond to such a limited worldview.
So what’s next? There isKatti Battiwith Imran Khan, right?
Yes, that’s another intense role. All these roles that I choose to play completely drain me. That way, my life is quite hard. I am 28 and I have spent so much time becoming a character that I have had no time for relationships. Now, I want to take a break, I want to travel, fall in love, suffer heartbreaks and do all the normal things.
