Kangna prefers David Dhawan to Deepa Mehta

Actor Kangna Ranaut prefers David Dhawan's comedy over a part in Deepa Mehta’s adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s literary gem, Midnight’s Children.

After having won the National Film Award in the Best Supporting Actress category for

Fashion

(2008), one would expect Kangna Ranaut to continue playing intense characters. But surprisingly, most of her forthcoming films are either romantic comedies or comic capers. And her recent move to opt out of Deepa Mehta’s next film, based on Salman Rushdie’s

Midnight’s Children

, only strengthens the fact that Ranaut has changed her role-picking strategy.

She attributes her inability to play Emerald in Mehta’s film, to dates clashing with Sanjay Dutt’s production,

Rascals

, which is being helmed by David Dhawan. “I had already given my dates for

Rascals

. It would have been unprofessional on my part to ditch Sanju’s film and give that time to Deepa Mehta,” says Ranaut.

Actors Rani Mukherji and Vidya Balan have also declined the role of a 14-year-old’s mother in the past, for different reasons. Last heard, Soha Ali Khan was in talks with Mehta. But as of now, Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das and Seema Biswas are believed to have confirmed their presence in the film.

When asked why she would risk the international exposure that acting in a Deepa Mehta production can get her, she asserts, “I agree that Deepa’s film works on a different level. But I’m committed to

Rascals

. And I’m not dying to go to Hollywood.”

Commercial success

Why isn’t she doing intense roles any more? “Doing intense roles brings you praise. But it’s important to experiment with lighter subjects to break into mainstream commercial cinema,” she explains.

The actor further adds that while she thought it was important to do memorable roles earlier, that too has changed now. “I’ve realised that people watch a movie to get entertained, and not to feel greatly for some character. They want to enjoy a film in totality and I was not doing too many of those movies,” she admits.

Of the many comedies she has lined up, she is looking forward to working with Anees Bazmee in

No Problem

, Indra Kumar in

Double Dhamaal

and Priyadarshan in action thriller

Tez

. “I’ve not done comedy before, so it’s an interesting genre for me. I am looking forward to the films. And of course, I’d love to work with Deepa Mehta in the future. Hopefully, there will be no problems that time,” she says.