The historical epic Manikarnika : The Queen Of Jhansi is in serious trouble. Apparently Kangana Ranaut’s takeover of the project as director is not a temporary patchwork arrangement brought on because the film’s official director Krissh got busy with another project. “He was eased out. Krish was expelled. She (Kangana Ranaut) gradually took over the project and the producers complied. She first muscled into the writing, then the direction. It came to a point where Kangana was telling the actors what to do. Krish is no walkover. He has directed many blockbusters in Telugu cinema and done historical epics like Gautamiputra Satakarni and Kanche. He was chosen to direct Manikarnika for his vast experience. How was he to know that he would be pushed out of the project?” says a source very close to the film.’
Another prominent filmmaker in Bollywood says he isn’t surprised by this nasty turn of events. “This is exactly what Kangana had done with Hansal Mehta and Vishal Bhardwaj. During the shooting of Rangoon she tried to muscle her way into the writer and director’s chair. Vishal discontinued the shooting and gave Kangana an ultimatum to either stop interfering with his work or allow him to shut down the film. That’s when she decided to back off. Hansal complied with all her demands and lived to see his film become a mess.”
Coming back to the crisis on hand, a prominent actor from Manikarnika sighs and says, “The irony is Krish has shot an amazing film. What he has captured on camera is epic. Kangana has no business stepping in to add her two-bit.”
