Kangana Ranaut, whose life itself is a bit of a soap opera, on doing Bollywood's first opera-styled song 'Julia' in Vishal Bhardwaj's next 'Rangoon'
Kangana Ranaut
Kangana Ranaut in exclusive stills from the song, Julia, in 'Rangoon'
If the trailer of her next film, 'Rangoon', has piqued curiosity, Kangana Ranaut is certain her opera-styled song, 'Julia', will leave fans floored. The number is about falling in love with an army man. "I am better known for my so-bad-it's-good dance. But in this film, I did three major dance sequences in the first schedule (15 day-long)," she says.
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Contemporary dancers from Europe were flown in for the song and Kangana admits she felt "incompetent for the first time in life". "Dance in the '40s was about high energy and for me, it was all too new. I rehearsed a lot and I don't think I was amazing. But, I wasn't terrible either. Julia is a first rate performer and to justify her popularity, I needed to be damn good. However, I was determined. Even if it meant breaking bones, I had to do it for this part," she shares.
Post that sequence, she shot for an intense scene. "It has me whipping myself. My character is sucked in by guilt and inflicts pain on herself. When the shot was done, everyone applauded. That has to happen at least once on set! I need to know I am good at what I do. I'd also run to Vishal sir (Bhardwaj, director) for reassurance."
Kangana Ranaut in exclusive stills from the song, Julia, in 'Rangoon'
Kangana's character is Bhardwaj and Gulzar's homage to boisterous women of the '40s. "Julia is ambitious in life, in love. She lives a dual life, loves two men at the same time."
While it has been reported that her character is modelled after yesteryear actress Fearless Nadia, Kangy insists it is loosely based on action women of that era.
"It stumped me how feisty ladies were celebrated in pre-Independence India. There was a spy girl, hunterwali, chabook wali... they were hugely popular. Gulzar sa'ab and Vishal sir introduce Julia with much passion in a larger-than-life song like this. There isn't an element of judgment in the way they see her. She seeks sexual freedom and is conflicted, but they have portrayed it as pure innocent love. The very fact that they see someone as flawed as her worthy of worshipping is progressive."
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