Kangana Ranaut has emerged as the go-to girl for challenging

With her performances in such films as Gangster, Woh Lamhe and Fashion, actor Kangana Ranaut has emerged as the go-to girl for challenging roles in Bollywood. Unusually matured for a 22-year-old, Kangana says she doesn't take her star status too seriously.

CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand spoke to Kangana. Excerpts from the interview:

Rajeev Masand: You didn't grow up wanting to be an actress, did you? I read somewhere that you were studying to be a doctor in Shimla and the acting ambitions came much later. Do you wonder sometimes how your life would have turned out had you pursued your education and never moved to Mumbai?

Kangana Ranaut: I never go into the 'what ifs'. This is because maybe I never had the time to think. Life has moved very fast for me like when I was 16 I decided to do something different. At that point my family did not support me because they were worried about me. I was so young and restless then. After that things went really fast for me. I was completely smitten by the world of theater and modeling. I was like a child lost in a candy shop.

Rajeev Masand: You made a big impression with your first film Gangster. And then with Woh Lamhe you pretty much solidified your reputation. Would you say that you learnt acting from watching movies?

Kangana Ranaut: No, I think my idea of acting got cleared while I was doing theatre. Like for an example, the director of Slumdog Millionaire had said that he could not find one ordinary looking guy in India for the main role. He had to import him from London. So when a girl goes for an audition, she thinks that being an actress is all about fake eyelashes, pouting or being a sex object. They really don't know what it is being an actress. I remember going for Gangster's audition without makeup. I told Anurag (Kashyap) that you will give me the character to play so you tell me what clothes to wear or how to look.

From:ibnlive.in.com