Kangana Ranaut, who made her debut with Gangster and has delivered remarkable performances in films like Queen, Fashion, and Tanu Weds Manu, is one of the few Bollywood stars who has never worked with the leading Khans Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan or other top actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, and Akshay Kumar. The actress recently revealed her reasons for this decision in an interview.
In a candid conversation on Raj Shamani's podcast, Kangana Ranaut shared insights into her film choices, explaining that it was a deliberate decision on her part to refuse working with Bollywood's biggest male stars. While discussing her industry journey, she noted that the Khans had always been kind to her and never treated her poorly. However, she declined to work with Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan due to their films frequently adhering to a specific formula that limits the heroine's role to a few scenes and one or two songs. The Rangoon actress wanted to break away from this mould and prove that women could achieve top status without relying on the massive stardom of actors like SRK, Salman, Aamir, Akshay Kumar, or Ranbir Kapoor.
The Tanu Weds Manu Returns actress further shared that she had turned down offers to work with Ranbir Kapoor and Akshay Kumar. Kangana never wanted to conform to the stereotype that a heroine's success is dependent upon her popularity. Ranaut believed in setting an example where a woman's success in Bollywood is based on her talent and hard work rather than the star power of her male co-stars. She wanted women who would come after her in the film industry to know that no Khans could make them successful.
Furthermore, Kangana added a unique twist to this entertainment news piece by offering advice to aspiring actors. The Panga actress wants young actors to take on whatever work comes their way. She wants people to do activities when they have a say in what they want to do.
Kangana Ranaut will next appear in the film Emergency. The actress has directed the political drama and will play former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The film, which also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, and Mahima Chaudhry, will release in theaters on September 6, 2024.
