# Kangana Ranaut (कंगना रनौत)
**Kangana Ranaut** (कंगना रनौत; born 1987) is an Indian actress, director, and politician who works primarily in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema) and serves as a Member of Parliament from the Mandi constituency of [Himachal Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/himachal-pradesh).[1](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/kangana-ranaut-starts-shooting-for-her-next-movie-bharat-bhagya-viddhaata-says-nice-to-be-back-on-set-3638728.html) Known for portraying strong-willed, unconventional women in female-led Hindi films, she is the recipient of four [National Film Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-film-awards) and four Filmfare Awards, and has featured six times in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list.[2](https://namostudies.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NAMO-Studies-Annual-Report-2022-2024.pdf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1987, Himachal Pradesh[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut) |
| Debut | *Gangster* (2006), directed by Anurag Basu; won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut) • [4](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf) |
| National Film Awards | Four: Best Supporting Actress for *Fashion* (2008) and Best Actress for *Queen* (2014), *Tanu Weds Manu Returns* (2015), and *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* (2019) and *Panga* (2020), one award for *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* and *Panga*[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kangana-Ranaut/awards) • [15](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1706734&lang=2®=48) |
| Other honors | Four Filmfare Awards; six appearances on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list[2](https://namostudies.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NAMO-Studies-Annual-Report-2022-2024.pdf) |
| Work behind the camera | Co-directed *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* (2019); directed and co-produced *Emergency* (2025); first independent production *Tiku Weds Sheru*[4](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf) • [6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/emergency-review-kangana-ranauts-film-is-a-lesson-in-how-not-to-make-a-biopic-1-5-stars-7493115/amp/1) |
| Politics | Member of Parliament from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh[1](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/kangana-ranaut-starts-shooting-for-her-next-movie-bharat-bhagya-viddhaata-says-nice-to-be-back-on-set-3638728.html) |
| Filmography | 47 titles listed by Indian Film History, from 2006 to announced projects[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut) |
## Early life and training
Ranaut hails from a Himalayan town close to Manali in Himachal Pradesh.[7](https://officialkanganaranaut.com/Biography.html) Her first contact with acting came through theater in Delhi, where she trained under the director Arvind Gaur.[7](https://officialkanganaranaut.com/Biography.html) She is also a trained Kathak dancer, having studied at the Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir in Khar under Rajendra Chaturvedi.[7](https://officialkanganaranaut.com/Biography.html)
Her entry into films came through a chance meeting. According to her IMDb biography, she was spotted drinking coffee at a café by the filmmaker [Anurag Basu](https://www.edgepedia.org/anurag-basu) in September 2005, who approached her and eventually signed her for the lead role in *Gangster: A Love Story* (2006).[8](https://www.imdb.com/hi/name/nm2144007/) She had earlier received an offer for *I Love You Boss* in 2004 but left that project when date clashes with [Chitrangada Singh](https://www.edgepedia.org/chitrangada-singh) led to her being cast in *Gangster* opposite [Emraan Hashmi](https://www.edgepedia.org/emraan-hashmi) and Shiney Ahuja instead.[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut)
## Film career
**Debut and early work.** *Gangster*, released in April 2006, was a box-office hit and a critical success, and Ranaut received strong reviews for her performance as an alcoholic character; the role brought her the [Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-female-debut).[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut) • [4](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf) She followed it with films including *Woh Lamhe* (2006), *Life in a... Metro* (2007), and *[Fashion](https://www.edgepedia.org/fashion-2008-film)* (2008), the last of which won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.[9](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/kangana-ranaut-nm-313/movies) • [5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kangana-Ranaut/awards) Through this period she worked with directors including [Madhur Bhandarkar](https://www.edgepedia.org/madhur-bhandarkar), Rakesh Roshan, Mohit Suri, and Anurag Basu.[7](https://officialkanganaranaut.com/Biography.html)
**Queen and the peak years.** The 2014 release *[Queen](https://www.edgepedia.org/queen-2013-film)*, in which she played the lead role of Rani, marked a turning point: Indian Film History describes the film as a major phase in current Hindi cinema, and it began her run of Best Actress awards, starting with the National Film Award in 2014.[3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut) In *Tanu Weds Manu Returns* (2015) she played a dual role, Tanuja "Tanu" Trivedi and Kusum "Datto" Kumari, and won a second National Film Award for Best Actress along with the Filmfare Critics Award.[10](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kangana-ranaut/) • [5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kangana-Ranaut/awards) Her run of leading roles continued with *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* (2019) and *Panga* (2020), for which she received a joint National Film Award for Best Actress in 2021, the two films sharing one award year.[5](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kangana-Ranaut/awards)
**Directing and producing.** Ranaut co-directed *Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi* (2019), a National Award-winning film in which she also played the title role.[4](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf) • [10](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kangana-ranaut/) Her first independent production was *Tiku Weds Sheru*, a romantic comedy starring [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://www.edgepedia.org/nawazuddin-siddiqui), released directly on OTT.[4](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf) Her next project was *Emergency* (2025), a political drama she directed and co-produced, in which she played the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the plot centered on the 21-month Emergency spanning 1975 to 1977; [Anupam Kher](https://www.edgepedia.org/anupam-kher), Shreyas Talpade, and [Milind Soman](https://www.edgepedia.org/milind-soman) were also part of the cast.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/kangana-ranaut-resumes-film-work-shares-update-from-bharat-bhhagya-viddhaata-set-2847313-2026-01-06) The 147-minute film received a 1.5-star review from NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee, who criticized its handling of documented political events and its portrayal of Indira Gandhi.[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/emergency-review-kangana-ranauts-film-is-a-lesson-in-how-not-to-make-a-biopic-1-5-stars-7493115/amp/1)
## Politics and recent work
Ranaut entered electoral politics and was elected to Parliament from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.[1](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/kangana-ranaut-starts-shooting-for-her-next-movie-bharat-bhagya-viddhaata-says-nice-to-be-back-on-set-3638728.html) Her film work continued alongside her political career: in January 2026 she resumed shooting for *[Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata](https://www.edgepedia.org/bharat-bhhagya-viddhaata)*, directed by Manoj Tapadia and produced under her banner Manikarnika Films Production, after her previous release *Emergency* in 2025.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/kangana-ranaut-resumes-film-work-shares-update-from-bharat-bhhagya-viddhaata-set-2847313-2026-01-06)
She is also preparing for an international debut. India Today reports that she is set to make her Hollywood debut with the horror drama *Blessed Be the Evil*, a Lions Movies project featuring her alongside [Tyler Posey](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-posey) and Scarlet Rose Stallone, directed by Anurag Rudra from a screenplay he co-wrote with Gatha Tiwary.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/kangana-ranaut-resumes-film-work-shares-update-from-bharat-bhhagya-viddhaata-set-2847313-2026-01-06) At the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026 she confirmed she had received Hollywood offers and was reviewing scripts, without clarifying whether *Blessed Be the Evil* was moving forward.[12](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/kangana-ranaut-confirms-hollywood-offers-at-rising-bharat-summit-2026-says-depending-on-my-time-inclination-we-ll-take-a-call-article-13846267.html)
## Reception
Ranaut's performances, particularly in *Queen* and *Tanu Weds Manu Returns*, are frequently cited in discussions of acting range in contemporary Hindi cinema, and her career is often described as an outsider's success story in an industry dominated by film families.[13](https://jammuuniversity.ac.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/All%20English%20Editorial%2011-08.pdf) A 2015 profile in the GR8 magazine's television academy publication credited her with demonstrating that a woman protagonist can draw audiences to the theater as well as any male star.[14](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GR8_July_2015.pdf) Her public profile has also drawn criticism and controversy, particularly around her political statements and her handling of historical subjects in films such as *Emergency*.[6](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/emergency-review-kangana-ranauts-film-is-a-lesson-in-how-not-to-make-a-biopic-1-5-stars-7493115/amp/1)
## References
1. [Kangana Ranaut starts shooting for Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, TV9 Bharatvarsh](https://www.tv9hindi.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/kangana-ranaut-starts-shooting-for-her-next-movie-bharat-bhagya-viddhaata-says-nice-to-be-back-on-set-3638728.html)
2. [NAMO Studies Annual Report 2022–2024, profile of Ms. Kangana Ranaut](https://namostudies.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/NAMO-Studies-Annual-Report-2022-2024.pdf)
3. [Kangana Ranaut — Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kangana-ranaut)
4. [Kangana Ranaut, Filmfare June 2022 (Femina magazine archive)](https://www.femina.in/media/magazines/2022/june/Filmfare_June_2022.pdf)
5. [Kangana Ranaut Awards, Times of India Entertainment](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Kangana-Ranaut/awards)
6. [Emergency Review: Kangana Ranaut's Film Is A Lesson In How Not To Make A Biopic, NDTV (Saibal Chatterjee, 17 January 2025)](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/emergency-review-kangana-ranauts-film-is-a-lesson-in-how-not-to-make-a-biopic-1-5-stars-7493115/amp/1)
7. [My Biography, officialkanganaranaut.com](https://officialkanganaranaut.com/Biography.html)
8. [Kangana Ranaut biography, IMDb (Hindi)](https://www.imdb.com/hi/name/nm2144007/)
9. [Kangana Ranaut Movies List, BollywoodMDB](https://www.bollywoodmdb.com/kangana-ranaut-nm-313/movies)
10. [Kangana Ranaut, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/kangana-ranaut/)
11. [Kangana Ranaut resumes film work, shares update from Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata set, India Today (6 January 2026)](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/kangana-ranaut-resumes-film-work-shares-update-from-bharat-bhhagya-viddhaata-set-2847313-2026-01-06)
12. [Kangana Ranaut confirms Hollywood offers at Rising Bharat Summit 2026, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/kangana-ranaut-confirms-hollywood-offers-at-rising-bharat-summit-2026-says-depending-on-my-time-inclination-we-ll-take-a-call-article-13846267.html)
13. [The mystery of Kangana Ranaut, editorial compilation, Jammu University archive (11 August 2024)](https://jammuuniversity.ac.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/All%20English%20Editorial%2011-08.pdf)
14. [Cover Story: Kangana Ranaut, GR8! TV magazine, July 2015 (Indian Television Academy archive)](https://indiantelevisionacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GR8_July_2015.pdf)
15. [67ତମ ଜାତୀୟ ଚଳଚ୍ଚିତ୍ର ପୁରସ୍କାର ଘୋଷଣା
](https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1706734&lang=2®=48)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 2010s onward › Surnames R to T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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