Kangana practices restraint.

Subhash K Jha

After a publicly tumultuous time on the personal front, Kangana Ranaut seems to have sought recourse in spirituality. Consequently, she has acquired some unusual reading habits. "I'm currently reading a book on Swami Vivekananda. He prescribes restraint for a fruitful life. So I'm off spicy food and off any thoughts of a boyfriend. I believe restraint is much more important in life than self-indulgence," she says.

Not that she has much of a chance to be hedonistic right now. Kangana was tricked by her family into visiting her home town Bhambla (Himachal Pradesh). "I was told to immediately fly down to see my 100-year-old great-grandfather. I presumed the worst and immediately left my dubbing for Anurag Basu's Metro to attend to my great-grandfather (my father's grandfather) only to be told that he is fine. They just wanted me to visit him," she says.

This means that she had to take a spur-of-the-moment break from shooting. "So here I am, taking an unscheduled holiday much to Anurag Basu's annoyance. Unfortunately my sister isn't allowed to fly because of her health problems. I had to leave her behind in Mumbai with my best friend."

In Metro, Kangana is dubbing her own lines. She sighs, "That's a relief after Shaka Laka Boom Boom. When I heard an alien voice speaking for me I lost all self-confidence. In Metro, I speak my own lines…and sport a completely different look."

Kangana's character has an affair with an older man (played by K K Menon) in Metro. In real life, she has no such aspirations. "It's very embarrassing to be linked with men who are much older. Please, when I do have a boyfriend he'd be someone I can look in the eye, not look up to," she says.


• I'm currently reading a book on Swami Vivekananda. He prescribes restraint for a fruitful life. So I'm off spicy food and off any thoughts of a boyfriend. I believe restraint is much more important in life than self-indulgence — Kangana Ranaut