Sabyasachi Mukherjee: Where does your confidence
come from?
Kangana Ranaut: I’ve never really been able to answer
this question, but it could be [rooted in] my curiosity
for the world around me and my genuine liking for
people and cultures. If I like something,
it becomes a part of me for the rest of my life. When
people see something new, they react in two ways—
either they shut themselves down or they just embrace
it. I think I’m in the latter category.
SM: Both of us have a similar trajectory in our lives.
We’re both successful in a very mainstream way but we
are still outsiders.
KR: I think we did it our way. That’s the most
important thing. Many artists begin with their strong
individuality but they cannot stick to it. People really beat that out of
you. When I started, the first thing they pointed out about me is the
way I look or how my hair was. Everybody just wanted to fit me into
a mould.
Similarly, if I look at your work, your clothes are so individualistic. They
have a character of their own and you retain that. You did not compromise
on that. I identify with your clothes. You represent India’s culture and
heritage. Each of your garments is about finding pride in our own existence
rather than trying to be somebody else. I love that about you. I think you’re
a great artist. It’s a privilege to model your clothes.
I feel that we took our own sweet time to be successful, and while
we could have been somebody else and maybe tasted success earlier in
our careers, we did not compromise on our vision and remained true
to who we are. We find pride in it.
SM: It often happens to us in the fashion industry and I’m sure it
happens in the film industry as well—we’re made to apologise for
having our own individual identity. But I don’t think that you’ve
learned to do that. What gives you that strength?
KR: There are people who are going to make you feel sorry for who
you are. Maybe it just makes their day. But then there are those who
give you inspiration. There’s always a ray of hope. Even if they cannot
offer you strength, they will give you a smile and I never fail to find
[those people]. That grace is around, if you look for it.
SM: You’ve apologised about the fact that you don’t speak English well.
We are in France right now and people here are not apologetic about
not being able to speak English because French is their native language.
KR: Neither are the Chinese! I think China is rising to power because
they don’t have an inferiority complex. I wish I didn’t have to learn to
speak English and I wish people around me would learn to speak Hindi.
It’s like when you made that statement about the sari. ➤“When people see
something new, they
react in two ways—
either they shut
themselves down or
they just embrace it.
I think I’m in the
latter category.”
—Kangana Ranaut
Dress, Sabyasachi. Earrings, Sabyasachi Jewelry. Watch, Omega. Sunglasses, stylist's own.