Ahead of the release of her film Emergency, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut has been dropping interviews like hot potatoes replete with ‘foot in the mouth’ moments. Whether it’s poor PR strategy or just her habit of speaking before thinking, the actress, who plays the role of former PM Indira Gandhi in the film, has made several hilarious statements.
Ranaut is no stranger to controversy, but this latest batch—spilled out over a day across several interviews—is pure comedic gold.
Here’s a rundown:
1. Freedom in 2014
In one of her TV interviews on 28 August, Ranaut was asked about her 2021 statement that India received “bheek (a handout)” in 1947 while real freedom came only in 2014, with the election of Narendra Modi-led BJP. She explained that her comment was based on her own experience, which saw her being “driven out of the country” because, according to her, she was too good an actress.
Ranaut recalled that after early successes with films like Gangster, Woh Lamhe, and Fashion, she struggled for work in the industry for nearly eight years and eventually moved to the United States.
“I bought a house in Calabasas [in California]. I reached out to an agency for work because, as an Asian, it is not easy to get work abroad. That’s when I turned to filmmaking and directed a short film,” she said.
Ranaut also claimed that, before 2014, the system forced people who were “too good” to leave the country. But things changed with the release of Queen.
“I was doing small films like Rascals and Double Dhamaal to earn money so I could move out of the country. Then, I got a film called Queen. New director. New production house. I said yes because I needed money to establish myself in America. And this film was offered to me in March 2014,” she said.
“So, I got freedom at that time. I could return to my country. Why can’t people accept my perspective?” Ranaut added.
2. Foreign actress doing well
Ranaut took shots at “foreign actresses”, using Katrina Kaif as an example. She said that such actresses were doing exceptionally well, but after 2014, people preferred only desi actresses, actors, and stories.
“People communicated: ‘Stop the dance of foreigners here.’ They removed the Italian government and made a chaiwala the prime minister.”
3. Subhas Chandra Bose, first prime minister
Earlier this year, in April, Ranaut stirred controversy by erroneously referring to Subhas Chandra Bose as India’s first prime minister.
Now, defending her statement in an interview, Ranaut said, “He formed the Azad Hind Fauj, so I cannot discredit him.”
Attacking her critics, she added that people born with “two brain cells” cannot understand other perspectives and therefore have no future.
4. Ram Nath “Covid”
While discussing reservations, on a Hindi YouTube channel, Ranaut referred to former president Ram Nath Kovind as Ram Nath “Covid,” and called him India’s first Dalit president. When the anchor corrected her by pointing out that India’s first president from the Dalit community was KR Narayanan, Ranaut responded, “Sorry for my misinformation.”
Narayanan, elected as vice president in 1992, became president in 1997.
5. No caste census
When Ranaut was asked about her stance on the caste census, she replied, “My position is the same as Yogi Adityanath’s. Let’s stay together and remain good. If we are divided, we will be destroyed.”
“There should be no caste census. We don’t even know the caste of actors. Nobody knows anything. The people around me don’t care about caste. Why determine it now? We didn’t do it before, so why do it now?” she asked.
Ranaut also stated that violence against women is rising in the country and that women are a backward community in need of upliftment.
“Bas teen jaatiya hain—gareeb, kisan, aur mahilayein. Iske alawa chauthi koi jaat he nahi honi chahaye (There are only three castes—poor, farmers, and women. There should be no fourth caste),” she said.
6. The farmers’ protest
During her interview with a Hindi daily, the MP from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh suggested that a “Bangladesh-like situation” could have erupted in India if not for the country’s strong leadership. She alleged that “bodies were hanging and rapes were taking place” during the farmers’ protest against the now-repealed three farm laws.
She also alleged that China and the US were involved in this “conspiracy.”
However, Ranaut faced severe criticism from many opposition members, while the BJP distanced itself from her remarks.
“The statement made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in the context of the farmers’ movement is not the opinion of the party. BJP expresses its disagreement with the statement made by Kangana Ranaut,” the party said.
It added that Ranaut was “neither permitted nor authorised” to make statements on the party’s policies.
7. Oppenheimer and Macbeth
Ranaut went on to make bold comparisons between her film Emergency and Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, describing her upcoming release as a modern-day Shakespearean tragedy Macbeth.
When asked about the sensitive nature of her film’s subject, Ranaut responded, “I don’t understand why people are so uncomfortable with the truth, as if it doesn’t stand glaringly before us. Indira Gandhi was a multifaceted individual, and my film seeks to explore that complexity rather than simplifying her into moral extremes.”
Drawing a comparison to Nolan’s Oppenheimer, she explained, “In Oppenheimer, you’re left questioning whether to root for him or not—whether he’s being manipulated or is the manipulator. Life is rarely black and white; it demands so much from us, sometimes even forcing us to become what we never intended to be. That’s why I view Emergency as a Shakespearean tragedy, much like Macbeth. Just as Macbeth was destined for greatness but was haunted by the means through which he achieved it, Emergency delves into the idea that even the best of us can fall victim to hubris.”
Oppenheimer, set during World War II, chronicles the life of American theoretical physicist J Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as “the father of the atomic bomb.” The film, which earned seven Oscars and five Golden Globe awards earlier this year, captures the moral dilemmas and existential fears around nuclear weapons.
Emergency is written, directed, and produced by Ranaut. The film, which also stars Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry, and Milind Soman, is set to hit theatres on 6 September.
(Edited by Prashant)
Bro, what is there to laugh about. If you look at these aspects theologically, these all make sense. ohh you need to remove your Islamic and leftist glasses to get that kind of vision.
For all her flaws and eccentricity, Ms. Kangana Ranaut has been way more successful in life than Ms. Triya Gulati would ever be.
Ms. Gulati would do well to focus on her job and produce quality journalistic content rather than trolling self-made movie stars. If at all she wishes to critique, maybe the nepo kids of Bollywood would be a good target.
Does BJP doesn’t have any capable candidates for Mandi?
This stupid lady just digging the grave of BJP