New Delhi: Less than 24 hours after actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut missed her court appearance in Mumbai in connection with a defamation case, she appeared on Instagram announcing her new café in Manali that will open for the public on 14 February. As per the court, it was her last chance before a non-bailable warrant would be issued against her.
In the promotional video, Ranaut described her restaurant—The Mountain Story – as a tribute to the nostalgia of a mother’s kitchen, showcasing a plate of traditional Himachali food with a modern touch. “This is the story of my relationship with you,” she said in the reel.
The restaurant’s interiors give a glimpse into local Himachali artefacts and an outdoor seating area with a scenic mountain view.
She has also created a separate account for the restaurant, and shared images of it, covered in snow.
The actor features in the video, plating up food, talking with local people greeting the hotel personnel, as her voiceover describes the essence of the project.
Also read: Kangana Ranaut interviews are comedy gold. Don’t laugh, though; the Emergency star is serious
New journeys, old troubles
The reel, shared by the actor Wednesday morning, has evoked much curiosity and appreciation. One user wrote, “Looks like fairy tale Cafe.” People also noticed the presentation and quality of the reel. “This is absolute Cinema,” commented one user, while another wrote, “That’s an ad done right!”
Earlier this year, Ranaut made her directorial debut with the movie Emergency. The movie, whose release was significantly delayed, however, failed to impress viewers or make much money at the box office. The political drama centres on former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s imposition of a state of emergency in India for 21 months from 1975 to 1977.
During the hearing of the defamation case against the actor in Mumbai, Ranaut’s advocate informed the Bandra court that she was unable to attend due to her ‘parliamentary commitments’. But the advocate representing Javed Akhtar, filed an application requesting a non-bailable warrant against the actor, citing her ‘repeated absences from nearly 40 key court dates’. Akhtar had filed the defamation case against the actor after he found an interview Ranaut had given to be defamatory. In the interview, the Queen actor had allegedly referred to a 2016 meeting with the lyricist that the later found objectionable.
In December 2024, both Ranaut and Akhtar had decided to opt for mediation. However, this has not yet taken place and a hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, which the BJP MP skipped.