Rajeev Masand and Kangana Ranaut are once again at the centre of a Bollywood discussion after the former film critic made fresh remarks about the actress during a recent appearance on the Cyrus Says podcast. Masand said he misses the actor Kangana used to be and described her current public persona in sharply critical terms. His comments have revived a long-standing disagreement between the two that dates back several years.
Rajeev Masand’s Comments On Kangana Ranaut
Speaking on the podcast, Rajeev Masand said, “I miss Kangana the actor,” before adding that he now considers her public persona very different from the performer he admired earlier. He argued that Kangana's identity outside cinema has increasingly overshadowed the actor she was known for.
Masand specifically praised her performances in films where, according to him, the focus remained on the story and character rather than the actor's public image. He cited Queen as an example and described her performance in the Vikas Bahl-directed film as “amazing.”
He Praised Kangana’s Performance In Queen
Despite his criticism, Masand was complimentary about Kangana's acting abilities. He recalled the period when she would completely disappear into her characters and said that audiences could sometimes see the character rather than the actor behind it.
He also expressed interest in seeing Kangana reunite with Vikas Bahl for Queen 2. According to Masand, Kangana delivered particularly strong performances when she selected a project because she believed in the story itself.
His comments therefore included both criticism and praise: while he questioned the direction of Kangana's public career, he continued to acknowledge her abilities as an actor.
Masand Questions Kangana’s Claims About Bollywood
The discussion also touched upon Kangana's repeated claims that influential figures within Bollywood prevented her from receiving opportunities.
Masand disagreed with that narrative and suggested that success ultimately receives recognition within the film industry. His comments were presented as his personal assessment of how Bollywood operates, rather than an established finding about Kangana's career.
Kangana has for years spoken publicly about nepotism and what she describes as unequal opportunities for outsiders. She famously criticised Karan Johar during a 2017 appearance on Koffee With Karan, where the debate around nepotism became a major part of the wider Bollywood conversation.
Their Disagreement Goes Back Several Years
The relationship between Kangana and Rajeev Masand has been strained for years. One of the early public flashpoints came when Kangana criticised Masand over his annual actresses' roundtable.
She questioned why she had not been included and raised concerns about his professional proximity to filmmaker Karan Johar. Kangana's broader criticism centred on what she described as preferential treatment within Bollywood for star children compared with outsiders.
The disagreement resurfaced more prominently after Masand joined Dharma Cornerstone Agency, the talent-management company associated with the Dharma ecosystem. Kangana argued at the time that the move reinforced concerns she had previously raised about industry networks.
Kangana Had Also Accused Masand Over Blind Items
Another major point of disagreement involved blind items. Kangana had previously accused Masand of writing or promoting blind-item stories about actors, including herself and the late Sushant Singh Rajput.
Those allegations were part of Kangana's broader criticism of entertainment journalism and the way unnamed celebrity stories were published. Her claims reflected her own account of the issue and should be distinguished from independently established findings.
Masand's recent comments have consequently brought some of those older disagreements back into public discussion.
Masand Still Calls Kangana A Fine Actor
Interestingly, Masand's latest comments were not entirely negative. He continued to describe Kangana as a talented actor and said he has not completely given up hope of seeing her return to the kind of performances that first established her reputation.
He also compared her acting ability with Alia Bhatt, describing both as among the notable female performers in Hindi cinema.
This makes his latest comments more nuanced than a simple criticism of Kangana's acting. His central argument was that he misses the version of Kangana whose performances were primarily associated with her characters and films.
Kangana’s Political Career Becomes Part Of The Discussion
Kangana's entry into politics has become an important part of Masand's comments. She entered electoral politics and won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh as a Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, becoming a Member of Parliament.
Masand linked the change he perceives in Kangana's public identity with her political career. During the conversation, he agreed when asked whether stepping away from politics could help her rediscover the actor audiences previously saw on screen. That was his opinion expressed during the podcast, not an established assessment of Kangana's career.
The Kangana Ranaut Debate Continues
Rajeev Masand's latest comments have once again placed Kangana Ranaut at the centre of a discussion involving cinema, celebrity journalism and politics. While Masand questioned the direction of her public persona, he also acknowledged her acting talent and specifically praised her work in Queen.
The comments are likely to attract attention because of the history between the two. Kangana has previously been vocal about Masand's role in Bollywood journalism, while Masand has now offered his own perspective on how her career and public identity have changed.
For audiences, the latest controversy also highlights how Kangana's journey continues to generate discussion both as an actor and as a public figure, with her upcoming return to the Queen franchise adding another layer to the conversation.
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