Kangana Ranaut says she should have been admired for taking over as Manikarnika director

Actor Kangana Ranaut has said that she should have been admired for having the sense of responsibility to take over as the director of Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, after a creative dispute led to original director Krish departing the project. Kangana made the statement while promoting her upcoming film, Panga, directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari.

She said, according to IANS, “There was no ‘panga’. The director left the film (and) I completed it. It was just that. If I helped my producer (and) studio, toh us cheez ke liye mera sammaan hona chahiye (I should be revered for that). People should see I am so responsible. I got many brickbats and I am shocked.”

Krish publicly refuted Kangana’s claims that she’d directed the bulk of the period epic, for which they both shared a director credit. This wasn’t the first time that an allegation like this was made about the actor. Writer Apurva Asrani had previously alleged that Hansal Mehta allowed Kangana to undermine his authority on the sets of Simran.

Kangana continued, “I think being an actor on set is the most privileged job. (Being) a director, I am sorry to say, and even Ashwiny will agree with me, is not as valued as it should be. Filmmakers in our country, unlike America, are literally de-valued. This industry is of the actors.”

Kangana, who recently unveiled her production house, said that she wants to pursue her filmmaking ambitions. “There is a part of me that wants to pursue my filmmaking ambitions but if you ask me, it is a privilege to be an actor on the set — especially if your director is sorted,” she said.

Panga stars Neena Gupta, Richa Chadha and Jassie Gill in supporting roles, and will be released on January 24.