'I wouldn't be able to make it this far': Kangana Ranaut on the dark side of social media

From growing up in a small village with no initial aspirations of acting to becoming a powerful force in Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut’s story is a result of how a chance encounter with the industry’s greats and a natural talent led her to prominence, despite the lack of formal training. “It never occurred to me that acting could be a career. Where I come from, professional careers in the arts were never considered; we only knew traditional paths like engineering or the IPS (Indian Police Service). I just stumbled upon acting,” says the actor, who’s now turned politician serving as a Member of Parliament of India.

In a recent conversation with Khaleej Times, Ranaut, who will soon be seen in Emergency portraying the prominent Indian politician Indira Gandhi, delves into her transformative career experiences, including the landmark success of Queen, balancing the dual role of actor and director for her upcoming movie, and the triumphs of speaking her mind on social media.

Edited excerpts from an interview:

Looking back at your journey, what is the most significant milestone you've achieved?

I think Queen was probably where mainstream cinema and parallel cinema blended. It was a significant milestone for the entire industry, marking a shift towards more women-centric films. At that time, women often had roles limited to item numbers or comedic scenes, quickly in and out, and were treated as mere accessories. A very popular actor even told me that I was too good an actor to be successful, suggesting that those who are very good at their craft never achieve success and remain in the realm of parallel cinema.

I think one of the reasons why it didn’t scare or frighten me is that I never set out to be a glam doll or to blow kisses at people. I wasn’t aiming to be a rock star. Many people come into films with that expectation, focusing on fake lashes, high heels, or bodybuilding rather than truly understanding the craft. Initially, it felt overwhelming when everyone said I'd never make it. But when Queen happened, it was a remarkable moment in my career.

What kind of preparation did you undertake for portraying the role of Indira Gandhi in your upcoming film Emergency? You mentioned that you're a gifted actor, but for a biopic, I’m sure a lot of preparation—physical, mental, and otherwise—would’ve gone into it.

Yes, these roles are very tricky, especially when you’re playing someone with a condition or someone much older than you. You need to adapt to their body language. Before this, I had just done a film called Dhaakad, where I had an action-oriented role and underwent a lot of training. My body shape and alignment were much more youthful due to the training and diet. Even if I wore a saree, I couldn't convincingly portray someone much older because of my physical condition at the time.

So, one major challenge was to reduce muscle mass and adjust my body accordingly. But there’s something magical about becoming one with a character. Since I also directed this film, I had a longer period to immerse myself in the role. Over the course of two to three years, my face alignment and body started to resemble Indira Gandhi’s even without prosthetics. It was really surprising but that’s what makes the process so beautiful.

Which historical accounts did you use to craft the narrative and understand the character?

I turned to her autobiography. Although I had a lot of information about her from various sources and I was politically aware of the context, I wanted to understand her as a person. While many people offer their views on her life, it's essential to take her own perspective into account. Especially when the person is no longer around, it’s important to give them the dignity and respect of considering their point of view. So, I read her autobiography, numerous books, and various accounts of incidents, and I watched many videos and clips. She loved being in the media, so there was an abundance of material on her.

You also took on the role of director for the movie. What were the challenges of balancing both professions simultaneously?

Being a director is my true passion, my one true love. I absolutely love being a filmmaker; it brings out the best in me and engages my entire being in a way that nothing else can. It is also incredibly demanding, as you have to manage many departments, craft the story, and create the world of the film each day. If you get to act in it, that's great, but even if you don’t, you're still involved in the acting process through everyone else. Actors are in such a beautiful state of surrender with you; it’s a very intimate experience where they allow you to operate and communicate through them.

When you're also the leading actor on set, does it get difficult to maintain that distance?

No, not at all. I'm not trying to brag about it but I can’t emphasise enough how natural I am as an actor. Sometimes, it’s almost embarrassing to be so gifted. I just go in, do the shot, and it’s okay in one take. I feel it’s very sad because I wish I had valued my craft more. I always felt okay with my acting and never pushed myself to do more. That lack of effort didn't satisfy me. This is why I became attracted to direction, studied it, and worked on a film as a co-director. I really value this role because I’ve earned it from scratch.

I've heard of people doing like 200 takes of a single shot, which stalls the entire shoot for the day. In my case, there wasn’t a single shot that wasn’t ultimately included in the film, nor have I done any patchwork days. I know what I want to shoot, I shoot it efficiently, and I never, even though it's my set, get stuck on a shot to the point of torturing people all day. I don’t make them wait or get swayed by vanity, trying to create the perfect shot.

• Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' trailer out now