Exclusive! Kangana Ranaut opts out of Anurag Basu’s Imali

A few months ago, Kangana Ranaut announced that she would be teaming up with Anurag Basu, who launched her in Bollywood with Gangster (2006), for a project. Imali, as the film was tentatively titled, would have been the actress’ third collaboration with the filmmaker. But now, we have learnt that she has opted out of the project. 

Kangana says, “Last year, when I announced Panga and Imali together, Anurag Basu’s film was supposed to go on floors in November 2018. But I had to direct and reshoot Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi. So, I had to push Imali. I was also meaning to be a director for a while, so I couldn’t have said no to this. Meanwhile, Panga had already started and I couldn’t not do that.”

The busy schedules of her films have caused a few shifts in her choices, too. Kangana has picked the Jayalalithaa biopic, which goes on floors this October after she wraps up work on Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s sports drama. The Queen heroine explains, “Manikarnika has done very well, so I want to take my directorial career further. I can’t not direct now. I had signed the Jayalalithaa biopic because it’s a strong character and in sync with whatever I’m doing with regards to women empowerment.”

Kangana adds that it was a “tough call” for her to make. “Anurag and I have spoken about it. I feel extremely bad because Imali was giving me an opportunity to work with my mentor again, but I’m on the verge of announcing my own film in a few weeks from now. That has taken a lot of my time and I have conveyed it to Anurag, who understood my situation,” she adds.   

Ask her if she and Anurag will reunite for a project soon and she replies, “We will work together at some point. Imali is a beautiful love story and we can do that later. But right now, my focus is on my next directorial venture because I’ve just delivered an Rs 100-crore film and it’s the right time for me,” she signs off.