Rajeev Masand has spoken about Kangana Ranaut’s acting career, saying he misses the actress she once was. While praising her ‘Queen’ performance, he also took a sharp dig at her current public persona
Rajeev Masand recently discussed Kangana Ranaut on the Cyrus Says podcast, where he reflected on the actress’s transformation over the years. While recalling her earlier work, Masand said he misses “Kangana the actor” and made a sharp comment about her current public image.
He also questioned Kangana’s repeated claims that influential people in Bollywood prevented her from getting opportunities. According to Masand, the industry ultimately responds to success, regardless of the difficulties actors may face when starting out.
He praises Kangana’s performance in ‘Queen’
Despite his criticism, Rajeev Masand had plenty of praise for Kangana’s acting abilities. He specifically remembered her performance in the 2014 film Queen, calling it “amazing” and expressing interest in seeing her return in Queen 2, which reunites her with director Vikas Bahl.
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Masand said Kangana was particularly effective when she chose projects because of their stories and subjects. He recalled a phase when audiences saw the character rather than the actor behind it. He also described her as a brilliant actress and compared her acting abilities with those of Alia Bhatt, whom he also considers among Hindi cinema’s strongest performers.
Kangana and Rajeev Masand have a history of disagreements
Masand’s latest comments come years after his public differences with Kangana. After he joined Dharma’s talent agency in 2021, Kangana had criticised his work as a film journalist and accused him of writing “toxic” blind items about her and the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Masand later addressed the subject in a 2024 interview, defending the practice of blind items and discussing the criticism surrounding his reports. In the latest podcast conversation, he also mentioned outspoken personalities including Rakhi Sawant and Sunita Ahuja while discussing celebrities who frequently attract attention for their unfiltered remarks.
