Kangana Ranaut says she was ‘heartbroken’ with how her parents reacted to her debut film Gangster

Kangana Ranaut shared the turning point for her parents came after she won the National Award for her acting.

Kangana Ranaut made a strong debut with her performance in Gangster in 2006. Kangana, who is busy promoting her upcoming film Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, opened up about how her parents' reaction to her first film broke her heart, and it was only after she won the National Award that things turned around.

Kangana Ranaut made her Bollywood debut with Anurag Basu's romantic-thriller Gangster.

What Kangana said

During the chat, Kangana shared that her family perceived the film industry had been under the influence of the underworld. After she became successful, she asked her mother to move to Mumbai to stay with her, but she was told she needed to find her own way out.

“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).” 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 went on to add, “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. 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 Actress in a Supporting Role in Fashion. She went on to win three Best Actress awards, for Queen, Tanu Weds Manu Returns and jointly for Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi and Panga.

About Bharata Bhagya Vidhata

Starring Kangana, the edgy true-story thriller shifts focus from conventional depictions of violence to the quiet resilience and humanity displayed inside government hospitals during a crisis. Inspired by real events, the film spotlights the courage of hospital staff who stood firm while chaos unfolded outside. The story chronicles how nurses, ward boys, cleaners, lift operators, security staff, and administrative workers came together to protect lives. While terror claimed lives outside, inside Cama Hospital, 400 lives were saved, underscoring a night when humanity rose above fear.

Presented by Pen Studios, the film is produced by Pen Studios, Manikarnika Films, and Paramhans Creations, in association with Eunoia Films LLP and Floating Rocks Entertainment Pvt Ltd. It will be distributed by Pen Marudhar. Manoj Tapadia has directed the film. Also starring Girija Oak, Smita Tambe, Amrutha Namdev, Esha Dey, Priya Berde and Asha Shelar, the film is set to release on June 12.