Kangana Ranaut is an Indian Actor, Filmmaker, Politician, Padmashri Awardee, and one of Indian Cinema’s most prominent actresses. Known for playing strong women in female lead films. A role model for many, the youth icon Kangana Ranaut is the reigning "Queen of Bollywood.” Ms. Ranaut has been credited for spearheading a movement that breaks stereotypes of a Hindi film heroine by playing the main protagonist in films not starring a well-known male star.
A small-town girl hailing from the Himalayans who had no filmy background forayed into the world of Bollywood Cinema. She made a mark for herself in the male-dominated industry. Today, Kangana Ranaut has come a long way with her multiple National Awards wins and several Honours to her merit. Her journey is truly unconventional and very inspirational.
Kangana Ranaut was born on 23 March 1987 in Bhambla, a small town in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, into a Rajput family. Her father Amardeep Ranaut is a businessman and her mother, Asha Ranaut, is a school teacher. Ms. Ranaut has an elder sister, Rangoli Chandel, who as of 2014 works as her manager, and a younger brother, Akshat. She grew up in a joint family at their ancestral haveli in Bhambla, and described her childhood as "simple and happy".
Kangana Ranaut initially aspired to become a doctor at the insistence of her parents. She studied science at DAV School in Chandigarh. To build her own career she relocated to Delhi at the tender age of sixteen and took up modeling. She signed a few modeling assignments with Elite Modelling Agency, she did modeling for a brief period but she found no scope for creativity there. So she decided to shift towards acting and joined the Asmita Theatre Group in Delhi. She participated in Gaur's theatre workshop at the India Habitat Centre, & acted in several of his plays, including the Girish Karnad- scripted "Taledanda."
After being trained under veteran theatre director Arvind Gaur, Kangana relocated from Delhi to Mumbai and started auditioning for films. She went through several auditions before lending the main roles in the two films – Gangster of Anurag Basu and Pokiri of Puri Jagannath.
However, She went on to sign Anurag Basu’s Gangster and made her feature film debut. Starting with her first movie in 2006, she has over the last decade, acted in more than 37 feature films across genres and won several awards and accolades including 4 National Film Awards, 5 Filmfare awards, and multiple Filmfare nominations for her iconic performances in films.
Some of her films rank among the Highest Grossing Female-Centric films of all time comprising of, Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, and Manikarnika.
Ms. Ranaut is touted as one of the Best Actress of this generation and is known for playing a wide range of strong women characters in Indian Cinema.
Kangana has established herself as the leading top actress in the country. With Queen in 2014, She became the highest-paid actress.
Kangana is a certified Screenwriter from The New York Film Academy. She also wrote dialogues for Queen (2014) and Simran (2017).
She is one of the highest-paid actresses in the country right now, and has also featured six times in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 List! She has represented India at various National and International Summits.
Kangana Ranaut is the recipient of several awards which comprise prestigious National Awards, She recently received the Country’s Fourth Highest Civilian Honour the "Padmashri", She was honoured by the Hon'ble President of India in Delhi, One of the youngest actors to receive this prestigious honour.
In 2008, Kangana Ranaut played supermodel "Shonali Gujral" in the film Fashion. She garnered unanimous recognition and critical acclaim for her extraordinary performance in Fashion (2008) winning her first National Film Award at the age of 22 (Youngest Actor to Win). She was honoured at the 56th National Award Ceremony (2010) In Delhi.
In 2011, Kangana Ranaut starred in the Romantic Comedy Drama film “Tanu Weds Manu” and played the iconic Tanuja Trivedi. Her comical character in “Tanu Weds Manu” was very well received and admired at the Indian Box Office.
In 2012, Kangana Ranaut made her directorial debut with the short film called “The Touch”, the film was shot in Los Angeles, America with an all-American cast and crew and is a complex tale about a dog and a four-year-old boy. She also co-wrote the screenplay with an Australian writer.
In 2013, Kangana Ranaut played a shapeshifting mutant "Kaya" in the science fiction film Krish3. Which got Kangana unanimous recognition. The film became one of the highest grosser.
In 2014, Kangana Ranaut established herself as the leading top actress in Indian Cinema, she featured in the coming-of-age female lead film Queen, a "cultural reset" in itself. She wrote her own dialogues in Queen and has also been credited with additional dialogues in the film. The film also won several awards including the Best Film Award at the National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards.
Queen is a landmark film in Ms. Ranaut's career. Her portrayal of "Rani Mehra" received unanimous acclaim from critics and the film became one of the Highest-Grossing Female-led Films. She won several awards including a Filmfare Award and the National Award for Best Actress. She was honoured at the 62nd National Award Ceremony (2015) in Delhi. With Queen, Kangana became the most bankable star & the highest-paid actress in the country.
In 2015, Ms. Ranaut played a dual role in “Tanu Weds Manu Returns” which earned over ₹2.4 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing female-centric film ever & at the moment. Kangana won several accolades including Filmfare Critics Best Actress Award and an additional Nomination. This marks, Kangana Ranaut winning her third National Award as the Best Actress. She was honored at the 63rd National Film Awards Ceremony (May 3, 2016).
In 2019, Kangana played the freedom fighter Jhansi Ki Rani “Laxmibai” in the film Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi. Marking her directorial film debut. Manikarnika became one of the highest-grossing female-centric films at the Indian Box Office. In January 2020 Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi became the highest Indian opener in Japan & Kangana Ranaut became the First Indian Female Director to have a Japan Release With Manikarnika.
In 2020, Kangana Ranaut was conferred with the country’s fourth Civilian Honour, the Padmashri Award. In the same year, Kangana Ranaut launched her own Production House "Manikarnika Films."
In 2021, Kangana Ranaut was honored with her fourth National Film Award as Best Actress for the films Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019) & Panga (2020). She was also honored with the Padmashri Award at the Padma Awards Ceremony on 8th November 2021, by the Hon'ble President of India Shri Ramnath Kovind.
In 2021, Kangana played actress turned politician Jayalalitha in the film Thalaivii, and she garnered widespread praise for her portrayal. She also won her first SIIMA Award as the Best Actress — Tamil, for her wonderful performance in Thalaivii.
In 2022, Kangana Ranaut made her digital debut in the OTT space with Ekta Kapoor's Lock Upp Reality Show. She was seen hosting the Biggest and Most Powerful Reality Show ever. The Show broke all the records of OTT viewership and got a whopping 700 Million Plus Views. The show became the highest-watched and streamed OTT show. The first season of LockUpp got a blockbuster response from the audience.
In 2022, Kangana was seen playing Agent Agni, an intelligence officer in the spy action film Dhaakad. Next Kangana will be seen playing Indian Airforce Pilot in "Tejas" and she will also be producing her maiden production “Tiku Weds Sheru” in 2023.
In July 2022, Kangana Ranaut started shooting for her next directorial "Emergency" where she essays the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which will be produced by her production company Manikarnika Films. Later this year She might be seen playing Hindu Goddess Sita in VFX Magnum Opus The Incarnation: Sita.
In December 2022, Kangana Ranaut announced to play the iconic character Chandramukhi in the horror comedy film Chandramukhi 2. Kangana has also announced to play Bengali Theatre Artist Binodini Dasi in the upcoming biopic helmed by Director Pradeep Sarkar. The film couldn't be made for some reasons.
In November 2023, Kangana commenced shooting for a tamil psychological action thriller film helmed by Thalaivii Director A. L. Vijay. Kangana also unites with her Tanu Weds Manu costar R. Madhavan. The film will be released in 2025.
In July 2024, Kangana Ranaut won Lok Sabha Elections from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh & Now serves as the sitting Hon'ble Member of Parliament in18th Loksabha.
In September 2024, Kangana announced to play main lead in the film 'Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata' directed by Manoj Tapadia. The film is a cinematic tribute to the unsung heroes.
Kangana Ranaut has been touted as the Best Actress in today's times, one of Indian Cinema’s most critically acclaimed and successful actresses, to date and known for her versatility and portrayal of strong women roles in female-led/driven films and her achievements have made her one of the country’s biggest role models in recent times.
Kangana is also known for her Fashion and Style and has been credited in the media as one of the Best-Dressed and Most Fashionable Celebrities in the country. Ms. Ranaut has frequently been featured in listings of the most attractive and stylish celebrities in India.
She ranked among the top 10 on The Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Woman" in 2010, 2011, 2013, and 2015. She collaborated with the fashion brand Vero Moda to launch two clothing lines for the company — Marquee in 2015 and Venice Cruise in 2016.
An actor par excellence, Kangana Ranaut has with her versatile talent, commitment, dedication, and hard work made an unforgettable impression on the Indian Cinema, a career spanning 20 years, she has already achieved legendary status. In the new era of Indian Cinema, Kangana will be seen taking the reigns into her hands & directing, acting, and producing multiple content-driven mega projects.
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