Happy Birthday Kangana Ranaut: Movies that make 'Manikarnika' star the queen of acting

With her acting prowess, choice of narratives, and fearless personality, actor Kangana Ranaut has always managed to win the hearts of people. From making her debut in films with Anurag Basu’s directorial Gangster (2006) to stepping into director’s shoes with Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, her 16-year long journey in cinema is the best example of how an outsider made it big in the industry with sheer talent and hard work.

It must have not been easy for the 15-year-old girl, who was born and brought up in the small town of Himachal Pradesh, called Bhambla, to leave her home to chase her dreams at such a tender age, but Kangana conquered all the hurdles that came in her way with a smile and created a respectable position with her versatile body of work. Undoubtedly, words fall short when it comes to describing the four-time National Award winner.

So, on the occasion of her 35th birthday, let’s revisit some of Kangana’s most powerful performances that made her the queen of acting.

1. Gangster

Kangana proved her mettle with her very first film which revolved around the relationship between a bar dancer, played by Kangana, and a gangster (Shiny Ahuja). The film marked her Bollywood debut and showed everyone that she is born to be in front of the camera. Emraan Hashmi was also a part of the crime drama.

2. Fashion

Kudos to filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar for giving Kangana one of the most powerful roles of her career. Even though Priyanka Chopra played the lead role in Fashion, Kangana managed to grab eyeballs with her stellar performance as a troubled model. The hit film will always remain special to Kangana as it kick-started her winning run at the National Awards.

3. Queen

Vikas Bahl’s directorial Queen changed the game for Kangana in the industry. The film actually made her audience’s favourite and made them accept her with the work she brings to the fore. Released in 2014, Queen revolves around Rani Mehra (Kangana) who decides to go on her honeymoon alone after her fiance Vijay Dhingra (Rajkummar Rao) cancels their wedding just a day before their special day. Kangana’s role truly acts as a source of motivation for girls who hesitate to live an independent life in a male-dominated society. Queen helped her win her second National Award.

4. Tanu Weds Manu franchise

Kangana is not afraid to experiment with different things in her life. With Aanand L Rai’s Tanu Weds Manu (2011), the actor unleashed her comic side alongside R. Madhavan. Her aim to make the audience laugh did not stop here as in 2015 she came up with Tanu Weds Manu Returns. In the sequel, we see the problems that arise in the relationship of the lead characters of Kangana and Madhavan after their marriage. The film also gave Kangana a chance to play a double role.

Her comical avatar in Tanu Weds Manu Returns drew attention to the jury of The National Film Awards as they honoured Kangana with the prestigious award once again.

5. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

In 2019, Kangana moved behind the lens with Manikarnika:The Queen of Jhansi. She helmed several portions of the historical film along with Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi. Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi was a film made to honour the courage of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi. Kangana Ranaut plays the titular role in the film. She bagged yet another National Award for her work in the period drama.

6. Pangaa

While talking about Kangana’s flawless acting, it would be a sin if we don’t talk about Pangaa. The 2020 released film revolved around a retired Kabbadi player, essayed by Kangana, who is hoping to make a comeback in the game. Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwary, the film also features Richa Chadha, Neena Gupta, Jassie Gill, and Pankaj Tripathi in key roles. The film honours the endless hours of work that mothers put behind their families and at the same time urges them to never give up on their dreams and to take that second chance.

The upcoming months will be extremely special for the birthday girl as she has an interesting lineup of films in her kitty that includes Dhaakad, Tejas, Emergency, Sita, and Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda.

• UAE