Hyderabad: Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has recently opened up about a turbulent chapter in her life. During a conversation on the ANI podcast, she revisited the period when she was accused of practising black magic and branded a “witch” by people in the film industry. These allegations followed her highly publicised fallout with her former partner, Adhyayan Suman.
Kangana Ranaut and Adhyayan Suman dated between 2008 and 2009 after meeting on the sets of the film Raaz 2. However, the controversy peaked years later, in 2015, when legal cases and public statements were made against her. Adhyayan claimed that he suffered physical and emotional abuse and alleged that Kangana performed frightening rituals in a guest room covered with black curtains.
Recalling the intense character attacks she faced during her mid-twenties, Kangana said, “My ex who filed a case on me… and on top of that, kuch khade ho gaye ki ye to chudail hai. khoon peeti hai. Kaale kamre mein kaale parde lagake kaala jaadu karti hai (some people stood up and said she’s a witch, she drinks blood, she does black magic.) So there was a witch-hunting.”
Kangana noted that she was only 26 or 27 years old when these claims surfaced. She expressed that the treatment she received made her feel no obligation to protect the reputations of those attacking her. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, she focused on her career.
She credited the success of her 2014 Bollywood film, Queen, for giving her the resilience to weather the storm. The film was a massive hit and redefined her image in the industry, proving she could lead a successful movie without a male superstar or a traditional “sexy” role.
Today, Kangana has moved beyond the “witch-hunt” phase to become one of the most prominent figures in India. A four-time National Award winner and Padma Shri recipient, she now serves as a Member of Parliament from Mandi.
Her recent projects include the film Emergency, which she directed and starred in as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
This post was last modified on April 17, 2026 2:15 pm