Kangana Ranaut Claims She Rejected 'Padmaavat' Role Before Deepika Padukone Took It On

Actress Kangana Ranaut, known for her outspoken nature, recently shared insights about her career choices while promoting her new film, Emergency, in which she plays former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. In an interview with Ajit Bharti, Kangana revealed she declined a role in Padmaavat, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and later critiqued Deepika Padukone's portrayal in a concise remark. 

She expressed concern over the limited roles often offered to women in mainstream cinema, saying, "In many big films, the role of the actress is very small. I’ve received numerous such offers, even from the Khans, but my role would only be 10-15 minutes long, which feels degrading. These films fail to represent women accurately."

Without directly naming Bhansali, she noted, "Consider a well-known director who has built narratives around prostitutes in Heera Mandi and Bajirao Mastani. Women have much more to offer. I respect those in the profession I played a sex worker in Rajjo, but the limited portrayals are troubling. When I was offered Padmaavat, I requested the script, but he replied, ‘I don’t give scripts.’ I then asked, ‘What is my role?’ He said, ‘It’s about the pain of watching the hero and heroine prepare in the mirror.’

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Upon viewing the film, Kangana realized Deepika’s character primarily focused on getting ready, confirming Bhansali’s description. "I prefer not to highlight individuals like this, but should I work with such directors?" Through this interview, Kangana critiqued the representation of women in certain films and underscored the need for substantial roles for actresses in mainstream cinema.