Manikarnika Birth Anniversary: Kangana on Making ‘Bharat’ Glorious

Kangana Ranaunt recounts stories of Rani Laxmi Bai’s valour.

Kangana Ranaut is ready for battle in Manikarnika.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter)

On the occasion of 190th birth anniversary of the Rani Laxmi Bai, Kangana spoke at length about being inspired by her. Kangana Ranaut is set to play the warrior queen on silver screen in the upcoming Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi.

Weighing in on her stories of valour, she told IANS, “There are many stories of her bravery which are quite popular like how she jumped off a 100 feet wall onto a horse but I think the most endearing one is her wedding story. She was quite a misfit on her wedding day with Gangadhar Rao, he was coughing and she was barely 15 or 16 and she tried to comfort him in her own way by slapping hard on his back by which he was taken aback and laughed. This is a very famous story where the whole crowd burst into laughter. She was quite a misfit being a queen as she was more of a tomboy and less like a sophisticated girl of those times and that led to a lot of adorable instances in her early years.”

She also went on to say, “I've grown up listening to Rani Laxmi Bai's legend and folk lore like all of us but at the same time I did not know the intensity of her life. Her youth had gone in battling the enemy and preparing the regular people to become warriors. What was unknown about her life is that she fought for many things that are acceptable today like adoption and women empowerment. She was completely against untouchability and she neither believed in caste system. She was a Brahmin who fought like Kshatriyas . She fought against Bargad Pratha, Parda system, caste system and untouchability. She fought for all these things relentlessly and conquered all those. She was a visionary and I value the freedom that we have because of her a lot more."

She also spoke about how pursuing her dream of new-age India would be the best tribute to her.

“When Akhand Bharat was agreed upon, she really believed in new-age India and fought for it. I think the best way to give her tribute is to value what we have today and to make Bharat a glorious country and a world power. She was a true patriot who wanted her country to be a glorious one. I think to pursue her dream would be the best way to give her a tribute.”

Kangana Ranaut

With stunts directed by Hollywood action choreographer Nick Powell, the film is set for a 2018 Republic Day release. A Krish directorial with a screenplay by KV Vijayendra Prasad and Prasoon Joshi, the period film’s music has been composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy.