Kangana Ranaut has frequently shared her early challenges within the film industry, detailing her relentless pursuit of acting opportunities during her formative years. Recently, she recounted a significant encounter from that time, which involved Bollywood icon Salman Khan and acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
During an interview with ANI, Kangana reflected on her initial meeting with Salman Khan when she was just starting out. “I met Salman through a mutual acquaintance when I was around 16 or 17, and nothing significant had happened in my career yet. He looked at me and remarked, ‘She is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s heroine.’ He encouraged me, saying, ‘You should go and meet Sanjay Bhansali,’” she recalled.
For Kangana, receiving such praise from Salman was incredibly validating, particularly given Bhansali’s prominence in the industry at that time. “Salman said, ‘He’ll see you and sign you right away.’ I expressed my gratitude, but he insisted, ‘No, go introduce yourself. Go meet him,’” she shared. Filled with enthusiasm, Kangana took Salman’s advice and headed to Bhansali’s residence that very day, carrying her portfolio—essentially a collection of photos typical of aspiring actors. “His mother was present as well. I told him, ‘Salman sir has sent me.’ He acknowledged my presence and asked, ‘What is this?’ I replied, ‘This is my portfolio,’” Kangana detailed.
Kangana reminisced about how Sanjay Leela Bhansali examined her photographs closely. “He scrutinized the images, studying my face, and remarked, ‘You look different in every picture. What does your actual face look like?’ He noted, ‘If we straighten your hair, you look different. If you wear a wig, you look different,’” she said with a hint of humor. She playfully questioned him, “Is that good or bad?” to which Bhansali cryptically replied, “You’ll know.” However, despite their meeting, he ultimately did not offer her a role. Reflecting on the experience, Kangana noted, “Of course, he didn’t sign me. I believe what he meant was that if you succeed, you’ll understand.”
Years later, Sanjay Leela Bhansali reportedly expressed regret over his choice not to cast Kangana in a film. “Whenever Sanjay sir encounters me now, he reminisces about that moment and often mentions he wishes he had heeded Salman Khan’s advice,” Kangana disclosed. At that juncture in her career, she was eager for opportunities, but eventually, she found success with films like Tanu Weds Manu and Queen, which garnered significant box office success. Once she gained recognition, she found herself in a position of power, leading Bhansali to reach out again, this time for an item number in his film Ram Leela.
However, Kangana declined the offer. “At that time, I was the highest-grossing actress, following the successes of Tanu Weds Manu and Queen. He proposed a song in Ram Leela, saying, ‘You should do this song,’ but I responded, ‘Sir, I don’t want to do item numbers,’ which he appeared to take poorly,” she explained.
In a previous discussion with NBT, Kangana candidly articulated her rationale for refusing the opportunity: “Even Sanjay Leela Bhansali approached me for an item number in Ram Leela. Many people thought I was foolish for turning him down. But I can’t do it. Whether it’s Bhansali or anyone else, I just can’t. How can you portray women like this?”
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