Kangana Ranaut: Not a sissy who says politics is demanding

Kangana Ranaut and Vinod Khanna

When Kangana Ranaut expressed her support for prime minister Narendra Modi, calling him "the rightful leader of the democracy" last month, it quickly led to speculation that the actor was paving the way for a career in politics. Amidst reports that she is under consideration to contest for the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Gurdaspur constituency in Punjab - a seat that was occupied by the late Vinod Khanna until his demise in April 2017 - the actor says that though she has her hands full with film commitments at the moment, she isn't opposed to the idea of joining politics in the future.

"I am currently in the midst of Manikarnika, Mental Hai Kya and we've just announced Panga. Whenever I decide to take up the path, I will do so with utmost sophistication, dignity and full focus," promises Ranaut, as she discusses her political ambitions in a chat with mid-day. "I'm not a sissy to say politics is too demanding; I have to be extremely selfish to say it isn't my cup of tea," says the actor, presumably alluding to the country's youth that are, more often than not, hesitant to jump on the political bandwagon. "There are nations across the globe where every citizen is trained to join the Army, if need be. We must inculcate that culture here as well. If it comes to me, I should be able to take the lead. Our country's youth is intelligent and fiery, and we should set the right example for them."

Acknowledging that serving the nation is her "dream", Ranaut points out that straddling her career as an artiste and as a leader will not be a feasible idea. She adds that "renouncing everything" is a small price to pay for the nation's greater good. "If I have to be a national servant, I can't have a family or kids, or an alternate career. A politician should be nothing more than a government servant. I can't be an actor with an interest in movies, and at the same time, pursue a future in politics. I don't want any conflict to arise over my service to the nation, not even my family's expectations of me. I have set high standards for myself."

Also Read: Confirmed: Kangana Ranaut to portray kabaddi player in her next

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