New Delhi [India], April 16 : Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has revisited a formative moment from her early days in the film industry, recalling how Salman Khan once encouraged her to meet filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, calling her "a Sanjay Leela Bhansali's heroine."
Speaking to ANI in a recent interaction, Kangana shared a detailed account of the meeting that took place when she was still struggling to find her footing in Mumbai.
"When I was... struggling... in my... very early days... you know... I met Salman... through somebody... and I was hardly like 16, 17. Gangster hadn't happened. And he met me and he saw me. And he said, she is Sanjay Leela Bhansali's heroine. That's what he said. He said, you should go and meet Sanjay Bhansali," she recalled.
Calling it a "very big compliment," Kangana added that Salman's suggestion led her to approach Bhansali with her portfolio.
"That particular day, I went to Sanjay sir and I had my portfolio... I went to Sanjay sir's house, and his mother was also there. And, I told sir, Salman sir has sent me... He went through the pictures and he was looking at my face... He's like, you look different in every picture. What is your face like?... If we straighten your hair, you look different. If you put a wig, you look different," she recalled.
Kangana noted that the filmmaker did not sign her at the time. "He didn't obviously sign me... He actually meant that maybe if you make it, you'll know," she said, reflecting on the encounter.
She added that Bhansali later acknowledged the missed opportunity, saying, "Now whenever Sanjay sir met me, he always remembered that I wish I had listened to Salman."
When asked if she takes satisfaction in such hindsight, Kangana responded candidly, "No, because that moment is gone. Then I desperately needed that job. It didn't happen."
She further revealed that after the success of 'Queen' and 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns,' Bhansali had approached her for a song in 'Ram Leela', which was eventually performed by Priyanka Chopra. "He said, you should do this song. I said, sir, I don't want to do item numbers. And he kind of didn't like it," she said.
Reflecting on her journey, Kangana emphasized that early setbacks shaped her career. "I always say, it's good when you get something, but if you don't get it, it's better... you learn how to make it work even without that opportunity," she said, adding that not receiving validation early on pushed her to evolve as a filmmaker and writer.
Kangana Ranaut, who hails from Himachal Pradesh, made her debut with 'Gangster' (2006) and went on to deliver acclaimed performances in 'Queen' and 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns.'
A four-time National Award winner and Padma Shri recipient, she currently serves as a Member of Parliament from Mandi.
On the work front, she was last seen in 'Emergency,' a film she also directed, portraying former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.