From a glam, tantrum-throwing supermodel in Fashion to a 70s-era actress in Once Upon a Time in Mumbai to the gorgeous, naughty rebel in Tanu Weds Manu, the super-stylish actress Kangna Ranaut delights audiences with her ease in portraying any character she takes on.
Her looks and personal style are admired in the film industry, and among the current pack of actresses, she was the only one who dared to sport her natural curls in her very first film - an unconventional move for an actress in straight-hair obsessed Bollywood. The actress even managed to turn the look into a trendy style statement.
Friday caught up with Kangna at Deira City Centre to find out more about her take on beauty and fashion.
Hair: One thing I've realised is that sporting various hairstyles in films can damage your tresses. There have been films where I've worn my natural curls but then I've also had to get it poker-straight for a few, and then I've had to sport a completely different style in others! All that drastic styling and the use of chemicals have taken a toll on my hair and I'm beginning to lose a lot of it. I pamper my tresses regularly with intensive repair treatments. Three times a week, I treat my hair to hot oil and steaming.
Beauty secret: I do yoga regularly and eat a balanced diet. I firmly believe that you can't get away with treating your skin badly and then expect make-up to do wonders for you. It won't. The base of good make-up is a healthy, hydrated skin. Once you eat right, drink loads of fluids and include exercise in your daily schedule, make-up can work its magic for you.
Make-up: You can't be loyal to a single label when you have to create so many different looks. I pick from a lot of different brands depending on the effect I'm going for, the occasion and my dress. On film sets, if I'm portraying a dramatic character and need intense make-up, I would choose a brand such as MAC for my face, eyes and lips. But when I need to create a less dramatic look or for my regular daytime look, I go for a lighter base like YSL and Armani lip shades. I also like Chanel's make-up, especially its shimmer products.
Healthy image: Looking good is all about having healthy hair, skin and body, no matter what size you are.
Fashion: I think Indian designers are doing some great work. I love Tarun Tahiliani's creations. Then there's Sabyasachi Mukherjee and I've recently come to love Reza Sharaffi's work quite a lot. All the gorgeous Indian dresses you saw me wearing in Tanu Weds Manu were done by Reza. Among international designers, Stella McCartney is my absolute favourite. I also like Alexander McQueen's dresses but they are a bit dramatic so I would wear them for the movies and not for everyday. I also like Armani and Versace.
In my personal life, if it's a formal event and I have to meet a lot of people, I would wear an elegant cocktail dress but if I'm going out with friends on the weekend I don't bother much and just go out in shorts.
Most stylish actor: Akshay Kumar. I think his wife Twinkle Khanna works her style magic when planning his wardrobe.
The world of fashion: While filming Fashion, I almost lived like a supermodel. A model's life seems a bit easier than that of a film star's. They enjoy the media attention and their focus is on looking good. On the other hand, we actors have to rehearse our roles, learn dialogue, work on our voice modulation and research the films and of course, we have to look good.
