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Queen of her own heart: Kangana Ranaut

Kangana Ranaut opens up to City Times about her concept of happiness and success.

SHE HAS MADE a name for herself as one of Bollywood's most consummate actors - who gets into the skin of whatever character she takes on. So it came as no surprise when she was honoured for 'Distinction in acting' at The 4th Godoya Holdings GR8! Women Awards 2014 which took place at Sofitel The Palm, Dubai on Saturday night.

Before the awards function Kangana, who was in town along with director Vikas Bahl to promote their forthcoming coming-of-age movie, Queen, dropped in to the Khaleej Times office. We bring you an excerpt from our conversation with the star.

How special is the GR8 Women Awards compared to the many accolades you have picked up over the years in your career?

It feels great. Especially when in a different country, you are called and are given an award. It does have a different meaning, its not like one of those awards that you get in India. Dubai is already a very special place for me. I get so much of love and acknowledgement here for what I do. It is really heartwarming.

Recently on Koffee with Karan Aamir Khan referred to you as the sexiest woman in Bollywood. Do you have any plans of doing a movie together considering you both are method actors?

I would love to work with Aamir Khan, but it depends on how things are going to happen but at the same time that is not the goal of my life. I always feel what Aamir or Hrithik or Shahrukh wants to do is their goal, I cannot make their goal my goal. I have to take my decision for my own life you see.

Having said that I do feel that Aamir sir and me can offer something very special but then again that project should also give me some opportunity. Aamir and Kiran are the two people who encouraged me in the beginning of my career; they always call me home and show me movies that they produce.

I remember Kiran maam just called me for the documentary that she is supporting, Gulabi Gang, so they are very kind and they are one of those very open and genuine people. I guess they like me because I am very hardworking and honest - on some level people who are not fake and have nothing to gain from others, they tend to like genuine company. That is the only reason for our friendship.

You entered the industry at the age of 17. You practically grew up there. Do you think your idea of happiness and success has changed with time?

I think happiness is so overrated. Scientifically happiness is just an excited state of brain like how sadness is, so one must neither be depressed nor happy all the time. You must have seen the clichéd way we show most mad people in films, they laugh all the time (starts laughing). So one shouldn’t be happy all the time.I think the perfect state to be is being calm and in control. We must try and achieve that and not be too happy or sad all the time.

I think in modern or contemporary language it is called “cool”(laughs again). So I think we should focus on being cool and this is what happiness means to me when I am in control, not laughing or giggling. It is nice to laugh when there is a reason to laugh but when that is not there is no reason to be depressed either. For me that is what happiness is - when I am at peace.

Success is when I do everything being in control and in the best possible way that I can. Tomorrow I might not succeed or not be up to my current standard but I know I have given my best.If I know I have not given my best then I am a loser, I am a failure in my own eyes.

How did your family and friends from the industry react to the trailer of your forthcoming film Queen?

My family loved it. I think this is one trailer that has been loved by everyone from the industry and even those outside it. Every time people see it, they say it is full of entertainment on every level. It is not the usual clichéd Bollywood trailer with one item number, one romantic scene, one laughing dialogue, and some heavy background score. It is different, refreshing and very relatable. Apart from my family and people from back home loving it, I’ve got great reaction from the industry.

Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Arjun Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra - they all called me and told me that they want to see the film. I do not remember any of my other movies getting a reaction like this from the industry. So I think when the product is good, somewhere we all want good movies to do well because that is good for our cinema.