23 March,2024 06:51 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kangana Ranaut
It's been 18 years since Kangana Ranaut stepped into the world of acting with Anurag Basu's directorial 'Gangster' and since then she has been surprising audience with her versatile performances. Today she is not only an actress but also a director and producer. In a career spanning almost two decades, Kangana has won many hearts with her her acting prowess, choice of narratives, and fearless personality.
So, on the occasion of her 37th birthday, let's take a look at her films that proved that she is one of the best actors working today.
Kangana entered the film industry with the film 'Gangster'. Released in 2006, Anurag Basu's directorial revolved around the relationship between a bar dancer, played by Kangana, and a gangster (Shiny Ahuja). Emraan Hashmi was also a part of the crime drama.
With Fashion, Kangana showed her acting skills. Even though Priyanka Chopra played the lead role in 'Fashion', Kangana managed to grab eyeballs with her stellar performance as a troubled model. The hit film will always remain special to Kangana as it kickstarted her winning run at the National Awards.
Released in 2014, 'Queen' revolves around Rani Mehra (Kangana) who decides to go on her honeymoon alone after her fiance Vijay Dhingra (Rajkummar Rao) cancels their wedding just a day before their special day. Kangana's role truly acts as a source of motivation for girls who hesitate to live an independent life in a male-dominated society. Kangana won her second National Award for her role in Queen.
With Aanand L Rai's 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' (2011), the actor unleashed her comic side alongside R. Madhavan. Her aim to make the audience laugh did not stop here as in 2015 she came up with 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns'. In the sequel, we see the problems that arise in the relationship of the lead characters of Kangana and Madhavan after their marriage. The film also gave Kangana a chance to play a double role. Her comical avatar in 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' drew attention to the jury of The National Film Awards as they honoured Kangana with the prestigious award once again
In 2019, Kangana moved behind the lens with 'Manikarnika:The Queen of Jhansi'. She helmed several portions of the historical film along with Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi. 'Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi' was a film made to honour the courage of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. Kangana Ranaut plays the titular role in the film. She bagged yet another National Award for her work in the period drama.
The 2020 released film revolved around a retired Kabbadi player, essayed by Kangana, who is hoping to make a comeback in the game. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwary, the film also features Richa Chadha, Neena Gupta, Jassie Gill, and Pankaj Tripathi in key roles. The film honours the endless hours of work that mothers put behind their families and at the same time urges them to never give up on their dreams and to take that second chance.
Kangana plays the role of later former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa. Before she was a politician, Jayalalithaa was part of the Tamil film industry. Kangana put in her best efforts to play the role of Jayalalithaa. She even gained 20 kilos for her role. In the upcoming months, audience will see Kangana in 'Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda' , 'Chandramukhi 2', and 'The Incarnation: Sita'. She is also directing 'Emergency', which is based on the life of the Former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Kangana is all set to reunite with actor R Madhavan for an upcoming pan-India psychological thriller film. The film will be helmed by the 'Thalaivii' director Vijay. R Madhavan and Kangana previously worked together in 'Tanu Weds Manu' and 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns'. The much-anticipated psychological thriller is set to captivate audiences in a bilingual release, Hindi and Tamil. The production team is enthusiastic about the collaboration and is confident that this combination of stellar talent will deliver a film that captivates audiences across the globe. Apart from this, Kangana will also be seen in the upcoming period drama film 'Emergency' which also marks her first solo directorial film.
(Inputs from ANI)
