Controversies follow Kangana Ranaut everywhere. Earlier this year, it was reported that the three-time National Award winner was stamping her authority on the sets of Vishal Bhardwaj’s Rangoon much to the surprise of co-stars Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor.
Buzz had it that Ranaut was going around town telling people how she was getting paid more than her co-stars. She said Rangoon had three heroes, which included herself. While promoting Udta Punjab, Kapoor was asked about the same, and he undermined all such gender bias saying that he didn't mind if people said there were three heroines in Rangoon, including himself and Khan. Kapoor also refused to be drawn into the pay scale debate, stating that man or woman was immaterial. Every actor gets paid as per his or her saleability, Kapoor had said.
Rumour also has it that Ranaut has been throwing her weight around the sets and interfering in creative decisions.
Ranaut recently returned from the U.S. after winding up the shoot of Hansal Mehta’s Simran, which is inspired by the life of former NRI nurse-turned-bank robber Simran Kaur. Ranaut spoke to a tabloid and downplayed all the negative publicity surrounding her relationship with her Rangoon co-stars.
"I don't pay much heed to mischief-makers, whether they are contemporaries or competition. These mischief-makers are mostly unnecessary publicists who do everything possible to malign you and get you in trouble. I keep a watch on everything. If it's alarming and I foresee a bigger trap, I hit back. I don't care about bugs in the bed," Ranaut told Mid-Day.
The Rangoon actress once again reiterated her admiration for the Nawab of Pataudi.
She said, "I am different at work; I don't go into the set wanting to party. As far as Saif is concerned, he is the classic man. I am a fan of his charms. He and Kareena (Kapoor Khan) have been extremely gracious to me. They hosted a dinner for me when I came down. I love their company."
While she was all praise for Khan, there were no words for Kapoor.
Speaking on her equation with Kpaoor, Ranaut said, "We had a healthy partnership on set and I don't see any trouble between us. Of course, we weren't pally, which [is] probably [what] was misconstrued. People need to understand that we don't go to work to make friends."
Rangoon is slated to be released on 24 February next year.