At sixteen, Kangana Ranaut ran away from home with just ₹1,500 in her pocket, determined to become an actress against her family’s wishes.
Two decades later, she sits in India’s Parliament, representing the very hills she once fled.
Her journey, from a small town in Himachal Pradesh to Bollywood’s biggest stages and now the political arena has been anything but conventional.
Personal Profile
| Full Name | Kangana Amardeep Ranaut |
| Date of Birth | 23 March 1987 |
| Place of Birth | Bhambla, Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh, India |
| Current Profession | Member of Parliament (MP), Actor, Filmmaker |
| Political Party | Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) |
| Constituency | Mandi, Himachal Pradesh |
| Educational Roots | DAV School, Chandigarh (pursued Theatre in Delhi thereafter) |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Primary Residence | Manali (Himachal Pradesh) and Mumbai (Maharashtra) |
| Production House | Manikarnika Films |
| Height | 1.66 m (approx. 5′ 5″) |
Early Years and the Theatre Path
Kangana Ranaut was born on March 23, 1987, in Bhambla, a small village in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.
Her father, Amandeep Ranaut, was a businessman, while her mother, Asha Ranaut, worked as a school teacher.
Like many middle-class families, her parents wanted her to become a doctor. However, after failing a chemistry test in Class 12, it became clear that science was not her path.
Instead of giving up, Kangana made a bold decision. She moved to Delhi and joined the Asmita Theatre Group under renowned theatre director Arvind Gaur.
These early theatre years played a crucial role in shaping her acting style, instilling discipline, emotional depth, and stage confidence.
Many directors later described her as a “one-take actor,” known for delivering powerful performances with intense focus and preparation.
Breaking Into Bollywood
Kangana’s entry into Bollywood happened unexpectedly.
Director Anurag Basu noticed her at a Mumbai café and asked her to audition for his film Gangster.
She was initially rejected for being too young, but when the lead actress exited the project, Kangana was called back.
Released in 2006, Gangster marked her film debut and earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
Her real breakthrough came with Fashion (2008), where she portrayed a troubled supermodel battling addiction.
The role won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress at just 22 years of age, firmly establishing her as a serious performer unafraid to take risks.
Her career reached new heights with Queen (2014) and Tanu Weds Manu Returns (2015).
Queen, in particular, resonated deeply with audiences for its honest portrayal of a woman discovering independence after heartbreak.
These films cemented Kangana’s position as one of Bollywood’s leading actresses.
Building a Brand Beyond Acting
As her acting career grew, Kangana expanded her creative control.
In 2020, she launched her production house, Manikarnika Films.
Under this banner, she produced and directed films aligned with her interests.
Her directorial project Emergency (released in 2025), in which she portrayed former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, marked a major milestone.
She also co-directed Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (2019), training for over a year in sword fighting and horse riding to portray Rani Lakshmibai.
Beyond cinema, she invested in a coffee shop called Himalayan Brew in Manali, promoting local produce and valued at around ₹2 crore.
According to her 2024 election affidavit, her net worth was approximately ₹91.66 crore, with 2025 estimates placing it between ₹115–120 crore.
Her assets include a 7,600 sq. ft. mansion in Manali worth over ₹30 crore and multiple Mumbai properties.
In 2024, she sold her controversial Pali Hill bungalow for ₹32 crore and declared a debt of around ₹17.38 crore.
The Political Turn
Ranaut’s journey into politics didn’t happen overnight. For years, she had been vocal about national issues, often aligning herself with nationalist positions.
In 2020, after comparing Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation demolished portions of her Pali Hill office, citing illegal construction.
The incident became a turning point, framing her as someone fighting against what she called a “mafia” system.
She became a vocal supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and frequently commented on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act and the farmers’ protests.
Her outspoken nature led to a Twitter suspension in 2021 for violating policies on hateful conduct, though her account was later restored in 2023.
On March 24, 2024, the BJP announced her as their candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.
She campaigned as “Mandi ki beti”, daughter of Mandi taking on Vikramaditya Singh of the Congress party. She won by a margin of 74,755 votes, polling 537,022 votes total.
Life as an MP –
Her transition to politics hasn’t been smooth. Shortly after her election win, she was slapped by a CISF officer at Chandigarh airport, an incident the officer claimed was in response to Ranaut’s past remarks about the farmers’ protest.
In Parliament, she has maintained an attendance rate of around 85 percent and participated in over 10 debates. She has asked more than 103 questions covering housing, tourism, and digital content regulation.
Her first speech focused on preserving Himachal’s cultural heritage, including kath-kuni architecture and tribal music.
She also secured ₹1,240.53 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana for rural roads and continues to demand better railway and airport infrastructure for Mandi.
Political Battles-
Her relationship with the Himachal Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, has remained tense.
State Minister Vikramaditya Singh has repeatedly labelled her an “invisible MP,” alleging she is rarely present in her constituency, a charge Ranaut dismissed by saying she is not “Mr. India” and that Singh was unable to accept his defeat in the 2024 elections.
During the 2025 floods, she accused the state government of bias in relief distribution.
This was followed by an electricity bill controversy, after officials stated she had outstanding dues of around ₹90,384, which Singh used to question her criticism of the government.
In Parliament, Ranaut has engaged in sharp exchanges, calling Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi “dangerous” and accusing him of promoting negative narratives about India.
In December 2025, she strongly supported the “One Nation, One Election” proposal, describing frequent elections as a strain on the system.
Controversies and Public Feuds-
Ranaut’s career has been marked by frequent controversies.
In 2017, her remarks on Koffee with Karan, where she labelled Karan Johar the “flag-bearer of nepotism” and part of a “movie mafia,” triggered a nationwide debate on insiders and outsiders in Bollywood.
She was earlier involved in a highly public legal dispute with Hrithik Roshan, following her reference to him as a “silly ex,” which led to leaked emails and cybercrime complaints.
In 2021, her comments on the farmers’ protest and a misidentification involving Bilkis Bano resulted in her Twitter suspension for violating hateful conduct policies, though her account was restored in 2023.
The same year, her statement calling India’s 1947 independence bheek sparked widespread outrage and demands for the withdrawal of her Padma Shri.
More recently, her film Emergency faced censorship challenges and delays after objections from Sikh organisations, leading to edits before its 2025 release.
The Interesting details –
She became one of the youngest National Award winners at 22 for “Fashion” and now ranks as India’s second-most awarded actress after Shabana Azmi.
While Bollywood celebrated Queen in 2014, she quietly enrolled at New York Film Academy to study screenwriting.
Her dedication to authenticity is intense she trained in sword fighting and horse riding for a year for Manikarnika, refusing body doubles for stunts.
Despite being a fashion icon, she often wears ₹600 handloom sarees to support local weavers transitioned from vegetarian (PETA’s “Hottest Vegetarian” in 2013) to strict vegan for promoting animal welfare and vegetarian lifestyle.
Awards and honour –
Kangana Ranaut received the Padma Shri in 2020 for her contribution to Indian cinema.
She is a multiple National Film Award winner, with honours for Fashion (Best Supporting Actress), Queen (Best Actress), Tanu Weds Manu Returns (Best Actress), Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (Best Actress), and Panga (Best Actress).
Her achievements also include several Filmfare Awards, notably Best Female Debut for Gangster, Best Supporting Actress for Fashion, Best Actress for Queen, and Best Actress (Critics) for Tanu Weds Manu Returns.
Looking Ahead-
In recent interviews, Ranaut has described politics as a “demanding job” contrasting it with what she called the “selfish life” of a movie star, a remark that sparked debate about her political commitment. However, she continues to remain active in cinema.
Her upcoming projects include Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata (2026), Queen 2, Tanu Weds Manu 3, The Incarnation: Sita, her Hollywood debut Blessed Be the Evil, the thriller Circle (Dussehra 2025), and Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda.
Her journey reflects modern India, where cinema and politics increasingly intersect, inviting both praise and criticism.
Also read: Dinesh MN Biography: A Life of Integrity and Dedication in Policing
