Kangana Ranaut, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Emergency, has made some strong statements about the Bollywood industry. The film, which features Ranaut as Mrs. Indira Gandhi, is set to release on September 6, 2024. Known for her candid views, Ranaut recently discussed Bollywood’s shortcomings in an interview.
In her appearance on The Bombay Journey on Mashable India’s YouTube channel, Kangana described Bollywood as a “hopeless place.” She expressed frustration over how the industry tends to undermine and destroy the careers of talented individuals. According to her:
“Bollywood is, honestly I am saying, it is a very hopeless place. Kuch nahi hone wala inka. Ek toh talent se ye jalte hain. Jo bhi inko talented dikhta hain na uske piche pad ke ya toh usko khatam kar dete hain unka career barbaad kar dete hain unko boycott kar dete hain. Itna ganda PR kar kar ke unko badnaam karte hain.”
When questioned about whether this negativity stems from internal industry dynamics, Kangana clarified that it’s not just an internal issue. She pointed out that the industry often favors mediocre individuals who are easy to control and follow orders, rather than those who bring fresh perspectives.
Reflecting on past Bollywood actors and directors, Kangana Ranaut noted that they were more humble and grounded, having experienced life’s hardships.
In contrast, she criticized the current industry climate for being filled with factionalism and hostility towards talented people. Kangana remarked:
“Pata nahi logon ko main bebak kyun lagti hun. Main toh sochti hun ki main sabse zyada ek clear perspective rakhne wali ek aam sadharan ladki hun, aur logon ko hai foggy perspective, they don’t have clarity of mind, they don’t have clarity of thought, they don’t know what to say, they don’t have guts to speak, what they saw, they assess, the truth, nothing, ab wo log chahte hai main unke tarah banu, ab ghoda gadha kyu banega bhai gadhon ko ghoda banna chahiye.”
Additionally, Kangana shared that she turned down a dance number offer from Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the film Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, which was eventually given to Priyanka Chopra. She expressed her dissatisfaction with how women are portrayed in item songs and refused the offer, stating:
“ap dekh lijiye mujhe Sanjay Leela Bhansali ne bhi Ram Leela film jo hai usme item number ke liye bulaya. Sab logo ne mujhe bola yeh paagal hai, Bhansali ko mana kar rahi. I said main nahi kar sakti. Chaahe Bhansali bula le chaahe koi bhi, I can’t do item numbers. Artists need to show such integrity. Women ko aap kaise portray karte hain.”
During the promotional campaign for Emergency, Kangana also disclosed that she had declined roles opposite prominent Bollywood actors like Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, and Akshay Kumar. Despite rejecting these offers, she maintained good relationships with these stars, noting that Salman even praised her performance in Emergency.
What are your thoughts on Kangana Ranaut’s views on Bollywood?
