Mahesh Bhatt hails Anurag Basu for discovering ‘wild force of nature' Kangana Ranaut: She rose like phoenix in Gangster

Hindustan Times

28-04-2025

Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut made her grand debut with the film Gangster alongside Emraan Hashmi. The film earned her recognition in the industry. In a recent interview, Mahesh Bhatt, who produced and wrote the story of the film, praised Anurag Basu for discovering Kangana and called her an "untamed force of nature." (Also Read: Mahesh Bhatt says he is not petrified of trolls, adversaries: 'My silence is not out of fear')
In an interview with Subhash K Jha, Mahesh said that Anurag Basu has an alchemical vision and added, "A rare ability to take a raw spark and give it flesh, blood, and soul. His greatest miracle was discovering Kangana Ranaut — a wild, untamed force of nature. In her very first role, she rose like a phoenix, giving Gangster the wings it needed to soar. And then there was South Korea — such an unexpected, beautiful choice. Cherry blossoms falling like soft rain over broken hearts; a foreign land that felt both alien and achingly familiar. It became a silent, emotional backdrop for Pritam's music."
He further called Gangster a masterpiece and added, "It was not just a film. It was love, betrayal, violence, longing — a great, wounded heart beating on screen. It didn't end — it ripped its ending from the audience's soul, leaving them shattered and spellbound. Above all, it was Anurag Basu's triumph: his vision, his risk, his reckless surrender to the fire that Gangster was. Once in a lifetime, if you're lucky, you can look back and say, 'Yes. That was a masterpiece. And we were part of it.'"
Gangster was a romantic thriller starring Kangana Ranaut, Emraan Hashmi and Shiney Ahuja in lead roles. The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews from critics, particularly praising Kangana's debut performance. After Gangster, Kangana went on to star in films such as Woh Lamhe, Fashion, Raaz: The Mystery Continues, Once Upon A Time In Mumbai, No Problem, Tanu Weds Manu, Queen and more, cementing her status as a Bollywood star. She was last seen in the film Emergency, portraying former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Anurag Basu's upcoming film Meanwhile, Anurag Basu is currently shooting his yet-untitled musical romantic drama featuring Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela in lead roles. The film is scheduled to release this Diwali. He also has Metro...In Dino in the pipeline, starring Sara Ali Khan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher and Ali Fazal, among others, in key roles.