Highlights:
Bollywood actor and Indian politician, Kangana Ranaut believes her role in Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata required much more than acting skills. Speaking at the trailer launch of the film in Mumbai, the actor said she had to make a conscious effort to reconnect with everyday realities in order to play a nurse authentically.
The crime thriller, directed by Manoj Tambale, is based on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Kangana plays a nurse at Cama Hospital. While discussing the role, she said her recent experiences outside the film industry played a major role in helping her prepare for the character.
“We live in a bubble and are so far away from reality. That’s why when I entered the life of this character, I realized how crucial it was for me to maintain some distance from the film industry,” said Kangana.
According to the actor, her political journey over the last few years gave her an opportunity to interact with people from different backgrounds and understand their daily lives more closely.
“As a politician, I got the chance to mingle with a lot of common people in the last couple of years. I may consider myself a great actor, but I’d be so incompetent in this role if I’m not in touch with reality,” she added.
Kangana entered politics in 2024 when she contested and won the Lok Sabha election from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. Since then, she has often spoken about meeting people on the ground and learning from their experiences.
At the trailer launch, she explained how those interactions influenced her acting process. She said understanding the realities of ordinary people was necessary to portray a working-class nurse.
“You can live in your bubble, gulp down protein shake, and hit the gym every morning, but you can’t figure out how an actual life is lived. I come from a middle class background, but still it’s been a long time since I’ve been in the film industry, since I debuted as a teenager. I wanted to do a kadi tapasya by playing this part,” confessed Kangana.
The actor then described the daily routine of the woman she was portraying. She said the character’s life was filled with responsibilities, challenges, and sacrifices that demanded respect and understanding.
“This woman wakes up at 4 am every day, fills water for her family, and takes the local train to her workplace. On her way back, she buys vegetables and chops them on the train. She is subjected to so many rebukes throughout the day. She has to clean the excretion of patients. Yet when she smiles on her way back home, I feel very small in comparison,” admitted the actor.
Kangana said these realities helped her see the strength and resilience of people whose stories are often overlooked. She suggested that observing such lives made her approach the role with greater humility.
The actor also recalled where she was on November 26, 2008, when the terror attacks took place in Mumbai. At the time, she was still early in her career and had debuted only a few years earlier with Gangster.
She remembered attending a gathering at actor Shahana Goswami’s home in Mumbai when the news of the attacks broke.
“Shahana Goswami had gotten a house in Yari Road (Andheri West, Mumbai) somewhere. She asked us to come over and have a party. We were partying when suddenly, Bhatt sahab walked in and asked us to switch on the television. It’s then that we found out, but we were like, ‘Ab kya party karein ya ghar jayein?’ But Bhatt sahab said it’s better if we headed home. We were just a bunch of 20-25-year-olds having a party, till Bhatt sahab broke it to us. Otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten to know,” recounted Kangana.
The film almost did not get made. Director Manoj Tambale revealed that he had spent seven years carrying the script before it finally moved forward. According to Kangana, casting director Mukesh Chhabra repeatedly encouraged her to read the script.
She said Chhabra not only contacted her but also strongly urged her to take up the project. Eventually, she agreed to star in the film and also decided to co-produce it under her banner, Manikarnika Films.
Kangana revealed that the project was originally titled Nurses of Cama. Later, she wanted to rename it Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi referred to Indian workers by that title last year.
However, the title was already registered by actor John Abraham. Kangana said she reached out to him for permission.
“It becomes very difficult then because a lot of people don’t give away their title usually,” said Kangana.
But the process turned out to be simple.
“Within a day, he gave the title to us without any charges. So, we’re very thankful to John sir,” added Kangana.
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, which also stars Girija Oak and Smita Tambe, is scheduled to release in theaters on June 12.
Katrina Kaif with baby son VihaanInstagram/@
Katrina KaifInstagram/@
