Kangana Ranaut: I Love Nothing More than Directing

Mumbai: Kangana Ranaut, who took over the reigns of Manikarnika – The Queen of Jhansi after its director Radha Krishna Jagarlamudi left the project, says she loved sweating it out like a technician on the film. Interacting with the media at the trailer launch, Kangana said she loved being out in the sun and would swap the luxuries of a star for a seat behind the camera without any hesitation. 

“I don’t know what is it about me, but I really love working as a technician. No actor wants to be out in the sun instead of being in the AC van. No actor wants to be among 80 sweaty people who are asking you 100 questions. I don’t know what is it about me that I am so comfortable in this job. There is nothing I love more than directing. Even though I don’t get to wear make-up or look like my star self or get any special treatment. It is absolutely a worker’s life, to be honest, but there’s something so amazing about this job that I don’t know why people even consider this a job. It is so much fun. I think acting is more like a job, but directing is a lot of fun. I hope I get more chances to do this. This seems like my first love,” she told reporters. 

Kangana has been credited as the co-director on the film, which was in the headlines after Jagarlamudi left the project abruptly reportedly due to creative differences with the actress, who plays the titular role. Kangana, who dressed up as her character of Rani Laxmibai at the trailer launch of the film, said it was Prasoon Joshi, the dialogue writer of the film, who suggested she helm the film. 

“Prasoon Joshi first showed confidence in me and said I would be the right person. I was not ready. When I started shooting for the film, we had action and horse riding and all of that. I felt I was a duck paddling beneath the surface. It was all too much for me, from action to costumes to drama. But the whole team was warm towards me and I felt confident,” she said.

The film is set to be released on January 25, 2019 and will clash with Hrithik Roshan’s Super 30 and Emraan Hashmi’s Cheat India. She did not directly comment on the clash but said choosing January 25 was important for them, keeping the patriotic theme of the film in mind. “Nobody pressurised me for this release date but I felt this film should be associated with the sentiment people have for Republic Day or Independence Day.”

Neither Kangana nor the producers commented on the reason behind Jagarlamudi’s departure from the film, but the actress admitted that the subject is “jinxed”. “This subject is jinxed, a lot of people tried to make it. When we started this film, I got injured and had to get 20 stitches. We faced obstacles like people falling from horses. But has it ever happened that a director has left the film?”

The director’s departure is not the only controversy that has come Kangana’s way, as director Ketan Mehta had accused her and producer Kamal Jain of “breach of trust” as the actress reportedly had said ‘yes’ to his project but later moved ahead with another director. 

Kangana said she was overjoyed when writer KV Vijayendra Prasad, of Baahubali and Bajrangi Bhaijaanfame, had narrated the script to her. “When Vijendra sir narrated the story to me, I was clapping and absolutely exhilarated. I have taken their vision ahead. As far as the creative aspect is concerned, I would like to give credit to the writers. The script was never changed,” she said. “It is not that I had to taken someone’s vision ahead with the material I was given. I had my own vision. It is a definitely much more difficult to step into someone else’s shoes,” she added.