Queen - The Movie


Accuse me of writing off Kangana Ranaut as an average actor, whose films are most suited to occupy the slots in the year when star studded or intellectual cinema does not make an appearance in Bollywood. Not to mention, a sneak or two of a controversy that she manages to rake in the magazines constantly chasing her to cover a section of news which appears to particularly weird sections of the film fans. It is this image of petulant occupier in the medium budget film space (usually deserted by creative, socially conscious or meaningful scripts) that works to the advantage of Kangana as well as the film - Queen.

In the opening thirty minutes, you know not much to expect of the Rajouri Delhi girl who has spun her life around the wedding expectations which leaves her in a lurch immediately after the audience has settled down in their seats. You expect some sulking, drinking and driving with a song or two on a bike with her hair against the wind on the urbane streets, which is so expected of Kangana trademark. This coupled with some heavy moments in the dark locations, without much dialogue that reinforce her vulnerabilities and creates gloom associated with typical fall-outs of relationships calls for a mediocre bollywood script.

Instead, the cynical audience (in me) is disappointed by Rani taking up a mindless exploration immediately after a sulk or two. This, she terms as her “honeymoon” for which she has been diligently planning. The single honeymoon exploration to Amsterdam via Paris which she undertakes is slightly different than one usually attributed to scripts taking to outdoor locations. While she does that, the logical brain is totally cut off giving way to discovering new places and people, without being judgmental of them. In between are the moments, where she conveys her self-proclaimed theory of a single Rajouri girl, delivered with great poise, confidence and true to her beliefs. A streak or two of moments interspersed in the plot, where she takes her lonely pursuits that help her regain her confidence bit by bit.

This swift transition, builds towards the climax, where one is almost convinced of her deciding not to return back to the marriage and give back a solid refute. But, Rani seems to be in no hurry. She does it in her own stride. Gloom, disappointment is eventually shed off by her and she cannot be more grateful, that this actually happened to her.

So, what changed in the trip between India-Paris-Amsterdam is actually my belief that intellectual cinema is a craft attributed only to nuanced actors and a seasoned script? “Queen” is one of the rare scripts set in urban settings - unique in the sense that it raises an issue that attributes over importance to “tying the knot” ritual in urban India that unknowingly renders undue pressure on the women and makes them design their ideas of perfect lives around it.

The reason that Kangana has been able to do complete justice to the role of Rani, is probably due to label of mediocrity that she has been associated with. I doubt, this kind of an impact could have been rendered by her contemporaries like Kareena, Vidya Balan or for that matter Deepika Padukone, usually pigeonholed in strength, equality and revenge. Kangana’s underdog label brings an element of unknown surprise that completely dazes off the audience who has come to expect unmindful drinking and biking from the actor.


The colourful mosaic of Queen’s unapologetic appeal during the 146 minutes is held together by two sets of distinct and often contradictory beliefs - the beliefs that she gathered while growing up in the bounds of Rajouri (Delhi) and what she encounters on her single honeymoon venture. While doing so, Rani echoes the inherent contradictions of urban Indian women who attempt too hard to fit in to either stereotype.