'Parents Would Throw Away Newspapers Carrying Filmy Content': Kangana Ranaut Recalls Family's Disapproval After Gangster
· Free Press Journal
Actress-politician Kangana Ranaut opened up about the difficult reaction she received from her family after the release of her breakthrough film Gangster. Despite earning praise for her debut performance opposite Emraan Hashmi, Kangana said her parents were more concerned about how society would perceive her role than her acting.
Speaking during a recent interview with Pen Movies while promoting her upcoming film Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, Kangana opened up on growing up in a family where academics, politics and public service were valued far above cinema.
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"I belong to a small village and was raised in a very different environment. My parents would literally throw away newspapers carrying film-related content. We came from an academic and political background. My grandfather worked with the Khadi Board, and my great-grandfather was an MLA. Movies were looked down upon in our household," she said.
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The actress revealed that when Gangster released, her parents did not share the excitement surrounding her performance. Instead, their focus was on how her role would be viewed by people around them.
Recalling the moment, Kangana said, "My father had no reaction after watching the film. My mother's response was, 'Our society won't accept this. You are underage and have done all kinds of scenes.' I was heartbroken. Out of everything in the film, that was all she noticed. They were more worried about society than my performance," she said.
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The experience left a lasting impact on her. Kangana admitted that after that incident, she stopped looking to her parents for professional feedback.
"I decided that day I would never take reviews from my parents seriously. But when Mr Bachchan wrote me a beautiful letter praising my performance in Queen and other films, I realised something. My father would never be able to view my work through the same lens as someone like Amitabh Bachchan because cinema simply wasn't his world. I couldn't hold that against him."
According to Kangana, her family’s perception of her career began to change after she received one of the country's highest honours in cinema. Winning her first National Award in 2010 for her role as a troubled supermodel in the 2008 film Fashion became a major turning point, particularly for her father.
"When I won a National Award, my parents were genuinely happy. They felt proud that their daughter was being honoured by the President of India. That was a turning point for my father. And when I received the Padma Shri, it became even more significant. He couldn't believe that someone could achieve such recognition through films."
Over the years, Kangana has established herself as one of the industry's most decorated actors. She has won four National Film Awards, including honours for Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, and a shared recognition for Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi and Panga. She was also awarded the Padma Shri.
'Apni Khoobsurati Ka Istemaal Karke...': Bollywood Actress Kangana Ranaut Teases Girija Oak Over Her 'National Crush' TagMeanwhile, Kangana is gearing up for the release of Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, written and directed by Manoj Tapadia. The film is described as a tribute to unsung heroes and is inspired by real events that unfolded at Mumbai's Cama and Albless Hospital during the 26/11 terror attacks.
Reports suggest the film highlights the courage and dedication shown by hospital staff who continued their duties amid fear and uncertainty during the crisis. Also featuring Girija Oak, Bharat Bhagya Vidhata is scheduled to release in theatres on June 12, 2026.