Kangana Ranaut is just a joke now: Rajeev Masand says he misses the actor she was

Former film critic Rajeev Masand has criticised Kangana Ranaut, saying he misses the actor she once was. Masand, who is now the chief operating officer of Dharma Collab Artists Agency (DCAA), called the actor 'a joke' and said he feels her public persona has overshadowed her acting career, particularly since she entered politics.

Kangana became a Member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after winning the Lok Sabha election from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, in 2024.

Speaking on the Cyrus Says podcast, Masand said, “I miss Kangana the actor. She's just a joke now.”

Masand also questioned Kangana's repeated claims that influential people in Bollywood had denied her opportunities. He said the industry recognises success, even if an actor has faced difficulties early in their career.

“I don't know. That's just a great story to keep repeating again and again. But I don't think so. Let's just face it — Bollywood respects success. A lot of people have had it hard in the beginning, but once you're successful...” he said.Rajeev Masand on Kangana Ranaut's acting career

Despite his criticism, Masand praised Kangana's performance in Vikas Bahl's 2014 film Queen. He called her work in the coming-of-age drama “amazing” and said he was looking forward to seeing her reunite with the director for Queen 2.

Masand said Kangana was at her best when she chose films because of the stories they had to tell, rather than making projects that revolved around her public image.

“Every time she made a film because it was a great film to make, she was great in it. But since then, it's a little been about the Kangana show,” he said.

Calling her a fine actor, Masand said he missed the performances in which she completely disappeared into her characters. “You could see no trace of the actor. She was the character,” he added.

However, Masand has not ruled out the possibility of Kangana returning to form as an actor. During the conversation, he agreed with the suggestion that stepping away from politics could help her rediscover that side of herself.

Masand also placed Kangana among the finest female actors in Hindi cinema, comparing her acting abilities with those of Alia Bhatt.Masand on Kangana's public image

Masand also spoke about outspoken celebrities who continue to attract attention through their unfiltered opinions. He named Kangana, television personality Rakhi Sawant and Ssunita Ahuja, wife of actor Govinda, among those who remain vocal and entertaining public figures.

He described them as people who are “vociferous, outspoken, and fun”, adding that they were “keeping the old flag flying”.Kangana Ranaut and Rajeev Masand's past feud

Kangana and Masand have had a strained relationship for years. Their differences became public when Kangana criticised the former film critic for not inviting her to his annual actresses' roundtable.

At the time, she questioned his impartiality because of his association with filmmaker Karan Johar. Kangana alleged that Bollywood favoured star children over actors who came from outside the industry. In 2018, she famously called Johar the “flagbearer of nepotism”.

The dispute resurfaced when Masand joined DCAA, the talent management arm associated with Johar's Dharma Productions. Kangana said the move supported her earlier claims about the industry's inner circles.

She also accused Masand of writing blind items about actors, including herself and the late Sushant Singh Rajput, who died by suicide in 2020. Kangana alleged that such reports caused mental distress to actors who did not belong to established film families.