Kangana Ranaut's parents unimpressed by 'Gangster'; National Award changed their view

Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has revealed that her parents were far from impressed after watching her breakthrough film Gangster, admitting that their reaction left her deeply hurt. The actress, who is currently promoting her upcoming film Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, shared that it was only after she received a National Award that her family began to appreciate her achievements.

'I was so heartbroken'

Speaking during a promotional interaction, Kangana said her family viewed the film industry with suspicion and believed it had long been influenced by the underworld. Despite her growing success, her parents remained unconvinced about her career choice. Recalling their response to Gangster, Kangana said, “They were not very okay with what I was doing, but they knew that I would figure it out by myself. After Gangster, my father did not even give me any response. When I asked my mother, she said, ‘Nahi hamara samajh mein thoda ye hai ki ap chhotey bhi ho, underage bhi ho... iss tarah se scene aap se karwa liye (You are underage and they made you do these scenes).’” The actress said she was stunned that her parents focused only on a few scenes rather than her performance. “So I replied that you only saw those scenes in this entire film? I was so heartbroken that that’s how they perceived that film, because they were thinking what society would think. After that, I thought I would never expect any review of my films from my parents because they have never seen films,” she added.

Amitabh Bachchan's letter changed her perspective

Kangana also recalled receiving appreciation from Amitabh Bachchan after her acclaimed performance in Queen and how it helped her understand the gap between artistic appreciation and her father's worldview. “When Mr Bachchan sent me a beautiful letter about my performance in Queen, I thought how Mr Bachchan can perceive it, my father cannot perceive it… and I cannot have a grudge against my father for that because he is not an artist. His work is different,” she said. She added that things changed dramatically after she received national recognition. “Then, when I got the National Award, they were very happy. That was the turning point for them, me getting the award from the President of India.” Kangana won her first National Award for Best Supporting Actress for Fashion. She later went on to win three Best Actress honours for Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, and jointly for Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi and Panga.

About Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata

Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata is inspired by real events and shifts the focus from conventional depictions of violence to the resilience and humanity displayed inside a government hospital during a crisis. The film highlights how nurses, ward boys, cleaners, lift operators, security personnel and administrative staff came together to protect lives while chaos unfolded outside. According to the makers, while terror claimed lives outside, 400 lives were saved inside Cama Hospital, making it a story of courage and compassion in the face of adversity. Directed by Manoj Tapadia, the film also stars Girija Oak, Smita Tambe , Amrutha Namdev, Esha Dey, Priya Berde and Asha Shelar. The film is slated to release on June 12.