Shaheen Parkar & Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; July 20, 2017)

The shoot of Kangana Ranaut’s Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi, in Hyderabad turned into a bloodbath late Wednesday evening, after the actor was severely injured. Ranaut was shooting for an intense sword- fighting sequence with co-star Nihar Pandya, when the latter’s sword hit her forehead and left her bleeding profusely.

A unit hand informs, “Kangana was immediately rushed to Apollo hospital nearby, where she was admitted into the ICCU. She got 15 stitches on her forehead and will be under observation in the hospital for a few days. The examining doctor said that it was a close shave for her because the cut was too close to her bone.”

Producer Kamal Jain says that the action scene had been rehearsed several times. In fact, the perfectionist that Ranaut is, she insisted on doing the scene herself instead of employing a body double. Jain says, “Kangana had to duck when Nihar attacked her, but the timing went wrong and Nihar’s sword hit her forehead instead. It made a deep cut between her eyebrows. The drive to the hospital took a good 30 minutes, but she put up a brave front despite the pain and bleeding. Nihar was apologetic and felt terrible, but Kangana pacified him.”

The examining doctor has said that in all probability, the gash will leave a scar. A source from the unit informs that Ranaut has decided to flaunt the scar in the biographical drama and has already informed her team about the same. “Rani of Jhansi was a warrior. So Kangana has decided that she will wear her scar with pride just like the Queen of Jhansi did,” adds the source.

The actor will be discharged from the hospital next week. Ranaut is being attended to by a leading plastic surgeon. Once the film’s shoot is wrapped up, she may have to opt for cosmetic surgery.

Ranaut has been shooting for the action sequences for almost a week in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad. Hollywood action director Nick Powell is choreographing the stunts for the historical, which is being directed by Krish. In June this year, a month before the film’s first schedule, Ranaut took swordfighting lessons from Powell. Not just that, the actor even took horse- riding lessons at the start of the year.