Top 5 Kangana Ranaut powerful performances before Simran

"I like being a strong, independent woman, and to be honest, I was never afraid to be on my own." 

This Dido Armstrong quote is apt for Kangana Ranaut, who is known as a strong, independent and fearless actor in Bollywood. From a small town in Himachal Pradesh to making it BIG in Bollywood, the Simran actor has had all sort of ups and downs in life. "I’m the only rags-to-riches story. No one’s come from the grassroots," claimed Kangana in one of her interviews. She does believe in being a modern badass - we mean to say - a strong-headed woman with her own thoughts which will not be bogged down by any influential personality. She is known to be sassy and well, we all are amazed by how she carries a film on her shoulders and makes sure that the movie does well at the box office.

For the full movie review of Simran, click here.

Kangana Ranaut's characters on screen are simple and relatable - so simple that anyone of us can have a conversation with that character. Today, her film Simran has released on the big screen. Kangana Ranaut plays the character of a Gujarati NRI in Simran, a free-spirited girl who doesn't believe in the set norms of the society. Kangana Ranaut has impressed Indian cinegoers with her versatile acting skills and choice of unconventional roles. We take a look at her most powerful performances until now.

Queen 

There is something so addictive about the film that you can watch Queen again and again and STILL not get bored of  Kangana Ranaut's character Rani. It's so relatable that you would want to own the mannerisms of Rani - from being so shy to finally an INDEPENDENT woman who is not ready to confide in her fiance. In Queen, Kangana was on a road to self-realization and finding freedom. Queen made Kangana Ranaut at par with all the big names and it was a stamp that she doesn't need a big name for her movie to work at the box office. 

Tanu Weds Manu and Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Aanand L Rai's film Tanu Weds Manu is surely one of the cult movies that Kangana Ranaut has starred in. She plays the character of Tanuja Trivedi and well, it can also be said to be an extension of Kangana - she is sassy and lives life on her terms. In Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Kangana also showed us that she can go an extra mile to get the character of a Haryanvi girl just right. 

Fashion 

It was Priyanka Chopra who played the lead in Fashion, but Kangana Ranaut stole the limelight and did something that still has a recall value - she showed the struggle of a model in the fashion industry, the mental struggle and how fame eats away their personality. They are lost in the streets of glamour and finding oneself becomes a difficult task. Kangana brilliantly portrays the story of a supermodel, inspired from real life, who was replaced by someone else and her crown was not hers anymore. 

Rangoon

Rangoon might NOT have done well at the box office, but performances by the lead cast were noteworthy. Kangana Ranaut as Julia in Rangoon did manage to mesmerize us with her acting skills. Kangana's character was inspired by Fearless Nadia. Talking about Rangoon's failure, Kangana, in an interview, said, "I, for one, thought the film had all the ingredients to be a profitable business proposition. It (film’s failure) was heartbreaking. Before this film, every time people asked me if failure throws me back, I knew the answer was no. Do I go into a low zone? Well, this time around I was affected. Maybe when you are bigger and grow more, both success and failure become more of your responsibility." But that ONE failure hasn't stopped the diva to work on her films with her utmost dedication. 

Gangster

Kangana Ranaut made her Bollywood debut with Anurag Basu's film Gangster. She played the role of Simran at the age of 17, that of an alcoholic, with all the maturity that was required in playing that character. She was betrayed and was lovelorn, and Kangana portrayed this with such ease that it won our hearts. 

Now that Simran has finally released - we wish it does all the good for Kangana Ranaut!

To end it - let's sum up with what Kangana said in one of the interviews - "The modern woman is smart, confident and independent. She has her own opinions and a strong sense of identity. Today's women know how to express themselves and carry their attitude with unmatched style!"