“When I’m in Love, I Just Over Nurture And Pour All My Energy Into the Other Person”: Kangana Ranaut

There has been some new turbulence in actor Kangana Ranaut's life—a brawl with a journalist at a press conference and an ongoing defamation case filed by her against actor Aditya Pancholi. But if any of this is bothering her, she doesn’t let on. Our December 2019 cover star was in a cheerful mood, and excited to be photographed. Hugs out of the way, she settled down to answer the questions...

Cosmo Ed Nandini Bhalla: A lot of times women feel that they have to be tougher or more masculine to succeed at work. What are your views on that?

Kangana Ranaut: “Well, that’s a tragedy, because it is true, especially when you’re in a male-dominated environment and you’re leading a pack of people. The truth is that people are somehow conditioned to take instructions from men, and unless you don’t act masculine, it just doesn’t seem to go through their heads. But I don’t believe that is the right approach, and we have to understand that this is the opposite of what feminism stands for... When a woman becomes successful and starts acting like a man, feminism takes a hit. We should not try to imitate men, for sure, but at the same time, we need to assert ourselves better and do what is needed in a powerful and feminine way, without pretending to be men.”

Cosmo Ed Nandini Bhalla: Recently, in an interview, you had said that when it comes to love, you’re an “obsessive lover”. Tell me more about that...who is Kangana when she is in love?”

Kangana Ranaut: “Well, I don’t know. I think I over nurture and pour all my energy into the other person—which is not the intention but simply the way I function. Somehow, the other person starts to believe that the world literally revolves around them. And that works against me in a big way because I’m out there showering love and affection...that’s just how I feel when I’m in love. I become kind of motherly, you know? I’m not sure if that’s the right term, though... I just want to nurture, be protective and generous, and very giving. Also, I tend to become very intuitive (of my partner’s emotional needs) when I’m in love. So, I compensate for that as well. If they’re lacking confidence or if they are unsure of themselves,
this naturally makes them feel empowered. And then guess what? They start to make you feel bad. That’s how it has always ended.  I don’t know any other way. Like, most of my close friends warn me not to go out of my way. They’ll say, ‘Why are you making this person feel like he’s a king?’ or ‘You’re the only one driving this relationship, don’t do that’. But I don’t know how to be like that. I have never been able to strike a balance between being warm and cool at the same time. And to be there and not to be there at the same time. Or to drive something and not to drive it at the same time. I feel that the more loving you are as a being, the more passion you have within you to give.

People around me say that it’s not that others feel any less, it’s just that I am very expressive and passionate. And it can be very difficult to be in love with lesser beings...”