BJP MP and actor Kangana Ranaut has been in the headlines in recent days following her exchange with Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) spokesperson Saurav Das over her remarks on Gen Z. Amid the ongoing attention surrounding the actor-politician, an old interview of Kangana has resurfaced in which she reflected on her journey in Bollywood, compared her rise with Shah Rukh Khan‘s and spoke candidly about why she never connected with the industry’s social culture.
Why she drew parallels with Shah Rukh Khan
In an old podcast with Raj Shamani, Kangana said she and Shah Rukh Khan were among the few outsiders who reached the pinnacle of success in Hindi cinema without belonging to film families. At the same time, she pointed out that her background made her journey even more challenging.“I think I said me and Shah Rukh are two outsiders (who have truly made it). Shah Rukh Khan comes from Delhi and who is not from the film industry. He became the top most star. I come from the mountains, his mother as a magistrate, he comes from a family who speaks good English, he comes from a convent and to come from Delhi to Mumbai, it is not much of a difference no? But I come from a village and I am a girl and I came as a teenager so my journey is all the more difficult. Having said that, he also did not have parents so I draw parallels like that, but I think that’s about it.”Her remarks highlighted how she viewed both their careers as examples of outsiders making it big in the Hindi film industry, while acknowledging the different circumstances they faced.
Why Bollywood never felt like home
Kangana also opened up about her equation with people in the film industry. When asked if she had friends in Bollywood, she said she never felt she belonged to that world.“Look, I am not Bollywood kind of person, okay. I can’t be friends with Bollywood people for sure.”Explaining her perspective further, the actress added:“Bollywood people are just so full of themselves. They are stupid, they are dumb, they are (all about) protein shake and that kind of a (life).”When the interviewer suggested that not everyone in the industry would be the same, Kangana elaborated on why she struggled to relate to the lifestyle around her.“Come on yaar, I have seen enough Bollywood to know that, you don’t tell me. If they are not shooting, their routine is they wake up in the morning, do some physical training, sleep in the afternoon, again wake up, go to gym, again sleep in the night or watch TV. They are like grasshoppers, totally blank. How can you be friends with such people? They have no idea what is going on where, they have no conversations, they meet, they drink (and discuss their clothes, accessories). I will be very shocked to find a decent person in Bollywood who can talk beyond impacts or cars.”
Her views on Bollywood parties
The actress also shared why she preferred to stay away from Bollywood gatherings, saying she never found them enjoyable.“It is embarrassing, the talks they are having. It’s trauma, a Bollywood party for me is like trauma.”
A career built on her own terms
Over the years, Kangana has established herself with acclaimed performances in films such as ‘Fashion’, ‘Queen’, ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, ‘Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi’ and ‘Thalaivii’. Whether through her performances or outspoken opinions, she has remained one of the most talked-about personalities in the entertainment industry.
