Nobody will want me as the PM: Kangana Ranaut
Since bearing with a string of box office disappointments, Kangana Ranaut is pinning her hopes on the upcoming film "Emergency".
This biographical-historical drama, set during India's Emergency period, stars Ranaut as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Despite being a celebrity known for controversies surrounding her commentary on current and political affairs, persistent speculation about Ranaut entering politics has seen conflicting statements from her in the past.
During an event to unveil the trailer of the upcoming film "Razakar: Silent Genocide Of Hyderabad", Kangana Ranaut was unexpectedly asked about her potential aspirations for becoming the prime minister. Expressing surprise, she responded with a touch of humour, stating, "I just did a film called 'Emergency'. After watching that movie, nobody will want me as the prime minister," followed by laughter.
In February 2023, Ranaut clarified that she identifies more with political ideologies than being a political person. On X (formerly Twitter), she stated, "I am a sensitive and sensible person, not a political person. I was asked to join politics many times, but I didn't," in response to a tweet by TV actor Uorfi Javed.
Later that year, the actor expressed that the decision to enter politics should be left to the people. In an interview with ABP, she stated, "If you say, 'I want to be a politician,' it's a vulgar thought. You shouldn't be the one to say it yourself; the public should say this." She underscored that the public would ultimately determine whether they want to offer her such an opportunity or not.
However, in October 2022, Ranaut had openly expressed her willingness to enter politics. During a session at Panchayat Aaj Tak, she stated, "Depending on the kind of situation, and if the government needs my participation, I will be open to all kinds of participation. As I said, it would be great if people in Himachal Pradesh would give me a chance to serve. So, definitely, it will be a fortunate situation."
In November 2023, Ranaut took a more decisive stance, expressing her intent to directly contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. When reporters inquired about her candidacy, she responded, "If Lord Krishna blesses, I will fight."
"Emergency" will now see a global release on June 14, 2024. Financed by Ranaut herself, the film boasts a cast including Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Ashok Chhabra, Mahima Chaudhry, Milind Soman, Vishak Nair, and Satish Kaushik in pivotal roles.
Ranaut's most recent appearance was in the action thriller "Tejas", which turned out to be one of the major box-office disappointments of 2023, generating only Rs 8 crore against its substantial budget of approximately Rs 60 crore. Preceding "Tejas", her two films — "Chandramukhi 2" (2023) and "Dhaakad" (2022) — similarly faced significant setbacks at the box office.