''people should attack kangana in the open like dignified enemies''

The actress suspects somebody sabotaging the prestigious project

For the last few days, as we all know, the 'Queen' star, Kangana Ranaut has been dazzling the Paris fashion police and she also made a stunning appearance at the Paris Fashion Week. But the "shocking" news that originated yesterday about the delay and even rumours suggesting the shelving of Ketan Mehta-directed biopic, 'Rani Laxmibai', left the actress disturbed in the fashion capital. Kangana plays the warrior queen in the film, which is supposed to roll next October. Said Kangana Ranaut, in an exclusive interview to Pinkvilla, from Paris, "We are in Paris on our way to London when we got the news and we immediately called Ketan Sir as we got worried about the project. This is a magnum opus and it needs at least one year of pre-production which has started in full swing. We all have invested way too much in the film. Naturally, we panicked but in the past, too, we have been a victim of such fabricated stories which were spread to harm our projects."

To quote a press release that was sent to Pinkvilla yesterday - 'Big talk, bigger demands and the 11-crore fee that Kangana Ranaut has been allotting to herself may just remain a lot of talk amounting to no extra zeroes on her pay cheque. We have it from reliable sources that the film 'Rani Laxmibai', the one that was meant to catapult Kangana into the 11-crore fee-club, has now been postponed indefinitely.' Further, quoting a source close to the development', the press release said, 'Though Ketan Mehta is keen on taking the project forward and though after 'Sardar Patel', 'Mangal Pandey' and 'Dashrath Manjhi', it was his dream to make a biopic on Rani Laxmibai, it seems unlikely that he'd be able to execute his vision, given the budget involved.'

Kangana is currently on a big career high having won the Filmfare and National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the comedy-drama 'Queen' (2014). In 2015, the actress earned critical acclaim for her performance in 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns', a major commercial success. It may be recalled that few weeks back the grapevine was rife with the speculation that Kangana has signed a film for Rs 11 crore and reportedly she was the highest paid actress in B-town. Asserts sister Rangoli, who doubles up as the actress's manager, "Kangana has signed all her films, we have proudly gone on record and stated that she is the highest paid. The one who are disputing that can they please release an official statement of which film and when was it signed that contradicts what Kangana's official spokesperson is saying. We never do underhanded shady stories."

Obviously, while suspecting someone out to sabotage the project, her manager further said, "It's very hurtful and extremely disturbing how interfering people can be, but such stories were spread about Rangoon', (Vishal Bhardwaj's upcoming romantic musical with Kangana in the female lead and Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor in the male lead) too. From our experience we have learned that people will never change but eventually truth will prevail and it will win." "These unknown people who are circulating these stories every day can they please come in the open and attack like a dignified enemy rather than be a pest, who is annoying and irritating," she added.

When asked whether they plan to take any action, Kangana's manager replied, "We thought before taking any action we should seek Ketan sir's advice but he seemed oblivious to all these reports and suggested that we laugh it off. He assured that everything will roll on decided time without any delay." Ketan, who is returning to the pre-independence era following his Aamir Khan-starrer biopic on Mangal Pandey in 2005,when contacted, said, "I want to laugh about these rumours floating in the industry. The film is very much happening as per schedule."Earlier, while announcing the project, Ketan had said, Kangana is perfect to play the warrior queen. She has liked the script. It's role of a lifetime. She is at the top now...she is doing good work. I think she was best for the film.' There were several speculations regarding the casting of the film, with English actor Hugh Grant's name cropping up in some reports. Mehta, however, had remained mum on the cast.

Said Kangana Ranaut, in an exclusive interview to Pinkvilla, from Paris, "We are in Paris on our way to London when we got the news and we immediately called Ketan Sir as we got worried about the project. This is a magnum opus and it needs at least one year of pre-production which has started in full swing. We all have invested way too much in the film. Naturally, we panicked but in the past, too, we have been a victim of such fabricated stories which were spread to harm our projects."

When asked whether they plan to take any action, Kangana's manager replied, "We thought before taking any action we should seek Ketan sir's advice but he seemed oblivious to all these reports and suggested that we laugh it off. He assured that everything will roll on decided time without any delay." Ketan, who is returning to the pre-independence era following his Aamir Khan-starrer biopic on Mangal Pandey in 2005,when contacted, said, "I want to laugh about these rumours floating in the industry. The film is very much happening as per schedule."Earlier, while announcing the project, Ketan had said, Kangana is perfect to play the warrior queen. She has liked the script. It's role of a lifetime. She is at the top now...she is doing good work. I think she was best for the film.' There were several speculations regarding the casting of the film, with English actor Hugh Grant's name cropping up in some reports. Mehta, however, had remained mum on the cast.