Kangana Ranaut is looking forward to the release of her ambitious and dream project Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi on January 25 in which she will not only be the protagonist but is also wearing the director’s hat. Conceding that it was extremely difficult for her to act as well as direct, she told a leading daily, “It is definitely the most difficult experience in my life, but somehow it all came together well and is amazing.”
Talking about the parallels in her life and that of Rani Laxmi Bai whose role she is essaying in the film, Kangana told a leading daily, “I think for some people life is a struggle and for some it is easy, that’s the mystery of life. Drawing a comparison between me and Rani, Vijayendra sir told me ‘this film is a test for you. Rani came to the palace as queen and her husband left her. You get the role of your life, come as an actor and suddenly you have to take charge, which you didn’t expect’. My journey is similar to hers in so many ways.”
Kangana told the leading daily that it was the writers who instigated her to take up direction. Kangana said, “It was writers Vijayendra Prasad and Prasoon Joshi who asked me to direct this project. I thought it can’t work like that as the film has too much action, too many emotional scenes, and too many heavy outfits. I asked them to get me a new director, to work with because at least they could get the physical work like recce done by that person. They got me two people, and they ran away in the middle, as they thought it’s not possible for them. I was the middle of the shoot and I had to continue, so I took charge.”
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi also stars Ankita Lokhande, Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, Jisshu Sengupta in pivotal roles.
