Kangna Ranaut has come a long way from her Gangster days.

Today, Bollywood’s latest glam doll and style diva is a confident lady who handles herself with élan. Dressed in a red mini-dress and black peep-toe heels, Kangna gave Hyderabad a taste of her outspoken nature and charisma.

Her first Telugu film with Prabhas is complete and geared up for release later next month. Though not familiar with the language, the actor is quite happy with the end result. “I had to work extra hard for my Telugu film, and I’m happy with the way it’s turned out,” says Kangna. For someone known for giving powerhouse performances consistently, language did not prove to be a barrier. “Whenever I was given the script, it was translated to me in either Hindi or English. This helped me understand the lines and get the emotions right,” says the actor.

What comes as a surprise is that Kangna chose to do a Telugu film at a time when her kitty is filled with interesting Hindi projects, like Kites. “Well, I believe in multi-tasking. Moreover I don’t have to bother about my dates as my manager is there do take care of that,” she says. So what exactly made her accept this offer? “I’ve known Puri (Jagannath) for a long time. He offered me Pokiri earlier, but I couldn’t do the film as I was busy with Gangster. He later approached me with this script. I liked it and managed to find time, so here I am, acting opposite Prabhas,” avers Kangna.

So is she trying to widen her appeal in areas that are known to idolise their regional cinema idols? “Look, I’m not that intelligent. I don’t understand ‘numbers’ and ‘markets’ and stuff like that. I only understand cinema and me doing any film - be it regional or Hindi - solely depends on the script.”

With the Filmfare award for best supporting actor (female), for Fashion safely tucked under her belt, Kangna is indeed one of the most sought after leading ladies in Bollywood. Her fresh-faced appeal and no-holds barred acting has won over many a hardened critic. But the lady chooses not to pays heed to the film ‘pundits’. “Given an option, I would choose a blockbuster over critical acclaim. Critics are just a handful of people who look too deep into the nitty-gritties of cinema. They forget to enjoy the fun aspect of the film. The audience watches films to be entertained. They don’t sit in theatres to scrutinise the technical aspects that go into filmmaking. So, I would rather make films to please those million instead of making movies for a bunch of people,” confesses the actor.

For someone from a non-filmi background, Kangna is slowly getting a stronger foothold in an industry that is unforgiving towards slips. “Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes your film works and at times it doesn’t. But what’s important is that your efforts are honest,” she says.

Though just a few years old in the industry, the actor has already stared dreaming of directing a film someday. “I’m quite familiar with the process of filmmaking. I will surely direct a movie someday. But right now, I have no such defined career-path.” Her cinematic dreams not withstanding, Kangna does not shy away from mentioning her humble beginnings. “I’m a simple girl from a small town like Manali. I was plucked from anonymity and stardom happened. I try to make movies that appeal to people like my brother and his friends who only care about entertainment and nothing more. But most importantly, I don’t forget my roots. It helps me stay grounded.

-TOI