Mumbai: Bandra police have summoned actor Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel for the third time for inquiries in connection with a case filed against them for alleged objectionable posts on social media. Ranaut and Chandel were served a notice on Wednesday to remain present at Bandra police station on November 23 and 24. An FIR was lodged against them last month on the directions of a magistrate court at Bandra.

“We have issued a third notice to Ranaut and Chandel asking them to appear for recording of statements,” said a senior Bandra police officer. Previously, notices had been served to them in October and then November. Police sources said the actor’s representative had reached out to them asking for time as her brother’s wedding had been scheduled and asked that the date be deferred beyond November 15.

THE TIMES OF INDIA (September 14, 2020)

Mumbai: Actor Kangana Ranaut, who is locked in a bitter battle with the ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, met governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Sunday to complain about the “injustice” done to her. Kangana, who was accompanied by her sister Rangoli, explained her “point of view” and sought “justice” during the 45-minute meeting, said sources.

Talking to reporters after the meeting at Raj Bhavan, Kangana said she is not a politician and had met the governor as a common citizen. “I told him about the injustice meted out to me and what happened was improper. It was indecent behaviour,” she said, adding that the governor heard her like a daughter. Kangana later tweeted: “A short while ago, I met his Excellency the Governor of Maharashtra Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari ji. I explained my point of view to him and also requested that justice be given to me. It will restore faith of common citizen and particularly daughters in the system.”

The Shiv Sena-ruled BMC had demolished alleged illegal alterations at Kangana’s Bandra bungalow following a spat between the party and her after she likened Mumbai to Pakistanoccupied Kashmir and questioned Mumbai Police’s handling of the Sushant Singh Rajput case.

Refusing to comment on the meeting, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “The subject (Kangana) is over for us... We will just hear and note it down, but will not talk on the issue....”

Clara Lewis (THE TIMES OF INDIA; September 8, 2020)

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena-controlled municipal corporation carried out an inspection of Kangana Ranaut’s office on Pali Hill on Monday for alleged civic violations. The action followed on a day when the actor received Y-plus grade security cover from the Centre following a spat involving her and ruling parties in Maharashtra.

Immediately after BMC officers arrived at her office, Kangana tweeted: They have forcefully taken over my office measuring everything, also harassing my neighbors…” She said BMC warned her neighbours that they would have to bear the consequences of her actions. “I am informed tomorrow they are demolishing my property,” she said.

She also posted a video of the team inspecting her office and an earlier video of the place. The office was a row house which has been converted into a commercial establishment.

In a second tweet, she said: “I have all the papers, BMC permissions, nothing has been done illegal...BMC should send a structure plan to show the illegal construction with a notice, today they raided my place and without any notice tomorrow they demolishing (sic) entire structure.”

A neighbour said eight BMC staffers inspected the rowhouses. “One of them had only women, who did not allow them in. We have not been issued any notice. They inspected and left,” said a neighbour.

Another neighbour said he allowed the BMC staff in as he thought they had come to inspect the leakage in his house. “They were polite and were here for only 10 minutes,” he said.

A third neighbour said the fifth rowhouse is owned by Ranaut while the sixth comprises three shops on the ground floor and an office on the first floor. “These rowhouses have been around 45-50 years. Kangana had repaired her rowhouse around a couple of years ago as have the others,” he said.

BMC refused to comment. Municipal commissioner Iqbal Chahal and H-West ward officer Vinayak Vispute did not respond to queries.

Meanwhile, residents of DeBreeze on 16th Road, Khar are a worried lot. Kangana is a resident of the building and in January this year, BMC had filed a complaint against Kangana and other residents at the Dindoshi sessions court for illegal extensions. Sources said on Monday, civic officials asked the session court for an urgent hearing. “BMC has been told that the matter will be heard by the regular judge on September 9,” said sources. Kangana has already declared she will be coming to Mumbai on that day and has dared anyone to stop her.

Kangana’s outburst against Mumbai Police saying she feared the force and describing the city to be as dangerous as “PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir)” had led to sharp criticism from Sena, Congress and NCP. Even the state BJP has said they do not support her statements.
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; September 8, 2020)

A team of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials visited Kangana’s office at Pali Hill, Bandra, yesterday, along with other properties in close vicinity, and have apparently warned residents and property owners they may demolish illegal constructions found on the premises today. Some residents reached out to Kangana’s sister Rangoli, who’s in Manali with the actress, to inform her about the developments.

Kangana, who is expected to return to Mumbai tomorrow, told us, “All work has been done with the BMC’s permission. This was their second visit, and they haven’t given notice or any plan.”

The cluster of row houses also includes properties that belong to designers Surily Goel and Manish Malhotra. While Goel said she’s not aware of any such development, Malhotra stated he’s busy with a professional commitment and has no idea about this. We reached out to the BMC officials, but they didn’t respond till the time of going to press.

Monika Rawal Kukreja (HINDUSTAN TIMES; July 20, 2020)

After Kangana Ranaut took a dig at Taapsee Pannu and Swara Bhasker, calling them ‘B-grade actresses, needy outsiders, and their existence, a proof of nepotism’, Pannu speaks exclusively to HT and replies to all the accusations levelled against her.

On ‘we love Karan Johar’ comment:
I never mentioned anywhere that I like Karan or anyone she alleges, but I’ve never said I hate them either. So, if you don’t hate someone she hates, is it equivalent to liking that person and sucking up to that person?

On being called ‘needy outsiders’:
Just because I don’t glorify my struggles and deal with them positively, doesn’t make me any less of an ‘outsider’.

On ‘why don’t you get work’ question:
For the last three years, I’ve been doing four films a year, and have five films coming next. Yes, I’ve been replaced with star kids in some films, but the fact that Kangana and her sister (Rangoli Chandel) try to discredit me and my hard work, call me names, put wrong allegations on me, is actually an equal level of harassment, if not more.

On ‘your existence is a proof of nepotism’ remark:
None of my films are produced by any of these ‘mafia gangs’ Kangana keeps targeting. So, how is my existence because of nepotism? Or undermining someone’s achievements, and mocking, is how you prove that you’re a true successful outsider?

On ‘you say you are happy with the industry’ statement:
I refuse to be bitter. I refuse to take advantage of someone’s death for personal vendetta. As an actor who wants to address important issues, I did speak up when I was wrongfully replaced in Pati Patni Aur Woh. So, I’m not scared to voice out problems.

Madhureeta Mukherjee (BOMBAY TIMES; January 21, 2020)

She took to the battlefield as the braveheart Queen of Jhansi, and now, with the slice-of-life sports drama, Panga, Kangana Ranaut is all set to up her game. And this time with jumps, dives, skill and tact on the playing field. In the film, she plays a 32-year-old mom, who chases her dream to be a kabaddi player. Much like the Kangana we know, who dares to dream big and fight every hurdle along the way. In a chat with BT, she talks about her real-life pangas, precious relationships and her idea of an ideal partner. Read on...

There is a song in Panga with inspiring lyrics, which says, Man ki jo sune, hai wohi changa. Lele, Lele Panga. Is that the mantra you live by?
I think so, and I would like to believe that I only listen to my heart and what I feel is right. I left home at an early age, so I didn’t have any overpowering figure in my life — a father figure or anyone else like that. I started working at 17, so I have taken panga since that age. Even back then, I did what my heart told me to. It could probably be the most immature thing to do, but I still did it. I thought, why should I pretend to be someone else? Why should my reactions be like my father’s or anyone else’s whose experiences are different from mine?

So, you have taken responsibility for all your choices and decisions, right or wrong...
Yes, always! When I left home, it was a very decisive moment in my life, because there was obviously a feeling like… what if it doesn’t work out. But then, I told myself…Whatever the consequences are, deal with it alone. Your parents didn’t sign up for this, so don’t turn around and go back to them’. It is not that my parents would object if I went back, but I knew that, hereon, I have to take 100% responsibility for whatever happens in my life. I have seen hard days; there were days when I slept hungry, and my parents could have easily afforded a meal for me, but I didn’t go back. I felt that it was unfair. I had chosen a path, so I had to figure it out and stick by it. Over the course of time, it becomes your second nature. You become that person.

When Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (director) approached you with this film, you were going through a difficult time in your life. So, what convinced you to take on this role, knowing that the project will be very demanding?
Ashwiny met me during a dramatic phase of my life. In my mind, I had completed Manikarnika - The Queen Of Jhansi (2019), but I got to know that the studio was not okay with the film and wanted to bring another director on board. Eventually, I took over. I left a film called Imli and was also toying with the idea of not doing Panga. At that time, I thought I was not in the headspace to do this film, but Ashwiny told me that she would help me through it. I was shooting two units and would sometimes land on the Panga set, thinking, ‘Where am I?’ It was very unlike me. I was so lost, and she helped me through it. She is one of the most organised people I know, and her homework is on point. We both are very passionate about our work and operate from a place where we are on our own.

Panga focuses on how a supportive family can play a huge role in helping you achieve your dreams, however implausible they might seem. Your family is a big support in your life, likewise, you are like a rock-solid support system for them, too, right?
I have seen both the sides. I have also seen how miserable your life can be without your family. Initially, when I started out, my family did not support me and that was probably the worst phase of my life. Even though at that age I must have felt… to hell with them, over time, I realised that there are only those many people in the world who will be there with you all along. That’s when I decided to mend my relationship with them and be close to them, because the distance had become way too much. I wanted to nurture our relationship and have people around me, who I could share my life with. That’s precisely what we are talking about in Panga, too, that building a relationship with your close ones is everyday work and a process. Even now, while my family and I are there for each other, we can’t take it for granted. We have to work on it and invest in it emotionally, every day. I also think that I could go back and mend my relationship with them because of my success.

Could you explain that?
It would have been very unfortunate if I was not successful, because the kind of person that I am, it would have been difficult for me to mend the relationship. I am not someone who is good with failures, especially when I am dealing with people. When I fail, it does not change my perception of me, but when I look into people’s eyes and see their perception shift, I can’t take it. I completely block myself out and don’t meet anyone. I don’t think that it is anyone’s business to judge me like that. I am sure that I would not have gone back to my family if I had failed, because of my own ego, no matter how much they would have tried to help me. I am sure that I would have made a different life for myself. I am not here for people’s drama, with anyone throwing lines at me like, ‘Kaha tha humne tumhe (laughs!).’ I wouldn’t let anyone do that to me. Now, at least I can say, ‘Maine kaha tha tumko…’

You recently said that after seeing the relationship that Ashwiny and her filmmaker husband, Nitesh Tiwari share, you feel that marriage is not such a bad idea, after all? What are your reservations about marriage?
When you have so much going for yourself, you tend to get thoughts like… ‘The world needs me, why should I belong to one person (laughs!)?’ Also, with time, you can become compulsively independent in the way you live your life and operate, and the way you create your personal space. Then, marriage seems like a trap. When you are functioning better on your own, than with a partner, then, marriage doesn’t make sense, right? As partners, you should function doubly better. I see that Rangoli (sister) and her husband function well with each other. Emotionally, financially and spiritually, I should do better with my partner than I am doing on my own. If two people are doing doubly well together in these aspects, I am open to marriage. Even if it does not double up, it should not bring me down from where I am. I can see how Ashwiny and Nitesh function beautifully together and enhance each other. They are raising a lovely family together. When I see that, I think, ‘Okay, this works. This is how it should be.’

Panga also highlights an important thought in the context of our society — that a woman has no reason to stop dreaming and pursuing her dreams irrespective of her stage (marriage, motherhood) in life. While there has been a huge change in urban India, do you think films like these will bring such conversations into focus in smaller towns of our country?
A mother is the person who is most taken for granted in the family. When we were growing up, we didn’t know where the food came from, when the utensils were cleaned and how we got freshly laundered clothes every day. Everything was functional because of my mom. When I started running my own house, I had a team of four people doing all the work, and yet, it seemed a lot. My mom would do so much more for us, all by herself. We start believing that our mothers don’t have emotional needs or dreams of her own. Now, my when my mom opens to me, I can see that she is so vulnerable, and she has always been this way, but we didn’t see it. That is what should change with the film — we need to humanise our mothers; we most often don’t do that. Jaya (my character) is so much my mother, I dedicate this film to her.

How was your equation with your on-screen husband, Jassie Gill? While talking to BT, he said, ‘Mujhe bada dara ke bheja tha set pe, lekin jaisa suna tha waisa kuch hua nahi’. The film also boasts of some fabulous actors like Richa Chadha and Neena Gupta. How was the energy on the set with so many fabulous actors?
Even Ashwiny would get calls where someone would tell her, ‘She (Kangana) will destroy your film’. Jassie would get calls saying, ‘Tumhe toh bhagwan bachaye’. I think these are petty games that people play. It’s a bubble that bursts, because within 12 months, I am releasing two-three films. So, I don’t think that too many people believe in this narrative. Jassie is multi-talented, he is a fabulous singer, too. A director’s energy translates on to the entire set. Ashwiny was so homely and positive that it rubbed off on all of us. Even with someone like Richa, we may have different political beliefs, but that does not come in the way while working. The realm of art is such that it rises above political beliefs. I was the happiest to know that Javed Akhtar sir is writing the lyrics. For me, it is an honour to be working with him, even though our political ideologies are different. When I become a producer, I will pledge to never be coloured by any prejudices or people’s personal choices. Whether it is your belief, sexuality, colour or caste…how does it matter and why should it matter when you are working on a film? That is the kind of standard and behaviour I stand up for.

Initially, there were stories about Ashwiny and you not getting along, but she cleared those rumours and even says that today, you both are close friends and there are no pretenses whatsoever…
Personally, I feel that most people I work with and have an equation with, are 100% sweet on my face, but then they talk differently when they go into the media space. I never expected Ashwiny to speak so highly of me, because I have learnt this lesson in the industry that if you are an outsider, it suits their narrative to talk about you in a certain way. Even Ashwiny was surprised to see how some people met me so warmly, but behind my back they were different people. She comes from such a positive place that there were never any insecurities with her.

Kangana Ranaut on why marriage is not a compulsion right now, the struggle to rehabilitate sister Rangoli Chandel after an acid attack and how nepotism can only end with action, not empathy
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 20, 2020)

Your upcoming film, Panga, is about surmounting hurdles and pursuing dreams. For a small-town girl with no godfather in the film industry, how difficult was it for you to chase after a Bollywood dream?
It wasn’t all that difficult for me because I left home when I was only 15. And the minute I broke away, I could breathe freely and operate like a single, independent entity. There was no explaining to parents, no listening to the bitter city experiences of family elders and no societal pressures tying me down. I could take risks, telling myself that the worst thing that could happen was failure and I was ready for the consequences. It was harder for my character, Jaya Nigam, because as a mother she couldn’t abandon her child or walk away from her marriage. But at 30, she wants to chase her dream of being a kabaddi player because dreams are not limited by age. For me, it was an insight into a life very different from mine, where it was important for the family to understand that this woman, till now, has only given, and expected nothing in return. Jaya doesn’t have a choice. She has to raise a family but is unwilling to compromise on this dream. She has to strike a balance between the two, and that’s how it should be. Today, fortunately for me, I’ve got my family back. But I know that somewhere success had a huge role to play in the reconciliation. Had I not made it in films, I might have lost out on both my family and my dream, and that would have been devastating.

Alone, in a big, heartless city with no family support; how terrifying was it for the teenager Kangana?
Well, I fell into bad company straightaway. Some people took advantage of the fact that I was alone and couldn’t confide in my parents, and I’ve experienced the worst a person can go through. It toughened me up and made me the person I am. But I wouldn’t want my children to go through such extremes. I would want to be there for them.

Marriage and children, is that a dream now?
When I was in my 20s, I was desperate for a family. I felt incomplete and thought my own people would make me feel complete. With time, I have come to realise that this is not true. So, right now there’s no compulsion to be a wife and a mother. I’m at a phase when I’m just beginning to enjoy my life. If someone can add to it, I’m fine, but if, as a woman, I am expected to ensure he’s emotionally stable, enhance his spiritual growth, be lucky and bring him financial windfalls and take on the responsibility of a home, children and family, then, I’m not up for that. At the moment, I have no time for people who come with any kind of baggage.

Why not?
Well, for the longest time, we’ve been emotionally scarred by what happened to my sister Rangoli (Chandel) after the acid attack. It took a long time, but finally, she is happy, with a child all of us dote on. Her husband’s business is doing well and my mamma, who was grappling with some health issues, is fully recovered. Also, the half-a-dozen cases filed against me have been dismissed as the allegations couldn’t be proved. My brother Akshit and I have just launched a production house and we’re starting from scratch, we aim to do some good work. This is a wonderful time for all of us; I’ve never felt so good. The world is respectful; there’s a lot to do and give. And for the first time, I can think about myself. Let me be a little self-centered and enjoy what I have earned. I don’t have the time and energy to invest in another family. That can come later.

Have you seen Chhapaak, in which Deepika Padukone played an acid attack survivor?
No, with my own film, Panga, coming up, I haven’t had the time but I will watch it for sure.

How difficult was it to deal with the acid attack on Rangoli?
It was horrific! You are hurt if your loved one gets even a scratch or a pimple, so, you can imagine the kind of pain one would feel to see their face melt. Outward appearance is far more important to a woman than a man, and taking that away from her is a fool-proof way of isolating her from the world. I was just 19, on the threshold of a bright career, when the attack happened and it was a long, hard struggle to deal with this kind of perverse, sexist cruelty. Financially too, I was not strong back then. Girls around me would feel depressed by a bad hair day or because a meal was not to their liking. I was grappling with something far more real and yet had no time to sit and cry. I did tacky films, took on roles I did not deserve, accepted guest appearances, so my sister could be treated by the best surgeon in India. It took 54 surgeries.

Your mentor, Anurag Basu, recently described you as a strong, ambitious girl and says he’s proud of where you have reached.
Anurag is my godfather. He just picked me, auditioned me and gave me a break. There were people around, like Gangster producer Mahesh Bhatt, who wanted Chitrangda Singh, because he thought I was too young to play the mother of a five-year-old kid. He was right, too, because I was still a minor then. But Anurag believed in me and fought for me.

He also worked a lot on me. I was a theatre actor, but Anurag didn’t want me to act. He wanted me to surrender myself to the camera. The foundation of my acting, which is strong, subtle, natural and universally appealing, comes from him. I will always be building on that. He’s one of the best directors we have and I have only taken from him, not added anything to his life. I hope someday I get the chance to give something back, too. I feel a karmic connection with Anurag and I’m sure we are going to collaborate again and create some great work.

Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaya F, who debuts as Saif Ali Khan’s daughter in Jawaani Jaaneman, recently said that being a star kid “we are privileged even in our struggles”. As someone who brought the term nepotism to the fore, what do you feel about this disparity in the industry?
One day I was thinking that as a star kid, what would it take to empathise with an outsider and say we understand the exploitations they go through. The important thing is not just to imagine but also empathize and work towards ending the culture of exploitation of outsiders from a position of power.

You’ve started your own company and you are in a position of power today. Will you put an end to this nepotism culture?
I think nepotism is completely based on the fact that people, who are not as deserving, get a chance, as opposed to those who deserve it. Because of such practices, most people are lagging behind. I will always go for the person who is best suited for the job, that’s the basis of my work ethics. I want the best for my project, without personal gains or emotional pressures. I’ll be doing myself a favour working with deserving people.

Panga will be your second Republic Day release after Manikarnika last year...
Yes, Republic Day has been lucky for me and I hope that continues. The ability to keep the family together while retaining her individuality is something a mother does so wonderfully. And I’m grateful to Ashwiny (Iyer Tiwari, Panga director) for giving me the opportunity to live this role and experience.

Months after she decided to helm her big-screen memoir, Kangana Ranaut hints at a biography penned by sister Rangoli Chandel
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 23, 2019)

In February, Kangana Ranaut had stated that writer K V Vijayendra Prasad and she had begun working on her biopic, which would be directed by her. However, with several films — including Judgementall Hai Kya, Thalaivi and Dhaakad — and the impending launch of her studio vying for her attention, the actor had little time to follow up on her ambitious biopic. While it may be a long wait before we see Ranaut's journey on the big screen, the actor teases that a biography may be on the cards as well.

Talking to mid-day, the actor said she is keen that her journey be told from the point of view of sister Rangoli Chandel. "If a book were to be written on my life, I feel Rangoli should be the narrator. She is the best person to narrate my story as she has seen me from my childhood to what I am today. She can [tell the story] from the point of view of an elder sister." She admits that her meteoric but troubled rise in the world of showbiz has the ingredients for an inspiring tale. "Rangoli has some interesting observations about my transformation [into one of the top actors of Bollywood]. If I tell my story, I might be too harsh on myself and may not glorify my achievements, and that is unfair to the struggles [I've endured]. So, it will be better if Rangoli says it truthfully and objectively. I won't be able to do justice to it. She has a great story to tell herself as an acid attack survivor. The way we found strength in each other and grew up together makes for a beautiful story."

Funny tweets and jibes aside, Taapsee Pannu opens up on the recent war of words with Kangana Ranaut
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; August 15, 2019)

She is less of 'sasti' and more of sassy. And an original at that. Weeks after Rangoli Chandel called her out for her "double filter" comment on Kangana Ranaut and opened the floodgates of a public feud, Taapsee Pannu seems almost amused by the episode. Point in case being her recent jibe — when an entertainment portal recently dubbed her the new queen of Bollywood, Pannu, in her cheeky humour, said she didn't want to be called 'queen' lest she be accused of copying again.

"If I meet her, I will graciously walk up and say hello to her, or even her sister," smiles Pannu, when Ranaut and her endorsement of Chandel's comments comes up in our conversation, indicating that she harbours no animosity towards her. One would expect the two to get along, given the similarities — no, not the curly hair; instead, the shared passion for women-oriented cinema, their drive to give female actors an equal footing in the industry and their fearless attitude. Pannu says she too was surprised at the misdirected animosity. "It was triggered because I said she needs double filter. Even Anurag [Kashyap] and I need that. How is that a negative thing? I saw her as an honest person. It's sad that she says a woman cannot call out another woman. I will call out people basis who is wrong and right, and not based on what gender they belong to. Feminism is about an equal platform," argues the actor, dropping the F-bomb, Ranaut's oft favoured weapon in her artillery after the N-bomb.

"She has always spoken about how a woman should support another woman, but I did not hear any words of praise for my films. There are five women in Mission Mangal. Is she praising us? I am her junior and don't have [as vast] a filmography as her, but I have done a decent number of films for someone to be appreciative of it."

Catfights are not in her DNA; Pannu would rather make light of the situation, have a laugh and put it all in the past. But she admits that the turn of events has "disappointed" her. "It was a shock because it came from someone I always admired. I felt disappointed. When someone you had put on a pedestal does this, it makes you question if you were right in looking up to her. In my response, I said I am happy being a copy because she is a damn good actress. I am sasta because she claims to be the highest paid [female actor]. I don't see it as derogatory. Just because she is saying it, doesn't mean it's the ultimate truth. She didn't expose me; she exposed herself. It's awkward but I won't hold it against her. I love her as a performer and will continue to do so."