Actor Kangana Ranaut and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali have taken jibes at each other several times in the past few years. Kangana has also claimed to have turned down many offers from him. After revealing that she was offered a dance number in Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, the actor has now said that she also turned down Bhansali's offer to play Rani Padmavati in Padmaavat. The role was later essayed by Deepika Padukone. While promoting her latest film Emergency in an interview with Ajeet Bharti, Kangana expressed her disappointment with Hindi cinema directors' representation of women. "I wanted to go to another level as a female actor. I felt that I deserve better than fake eyelashes, botox, etc. I am not this person. This evolution came to me gradually. After Tanu Weds Manu and Queen, there was a buildup of frustration in me. If you look at the top five directors, how are the female roles in their films? They hardly get five minutes. I got so many offers for big films, including with the Khans. But, it is hardly for 10-15 minutes, and that too demeaning. They don't show women in a good light," she said. Without taking names, the actor also critcised Bhansali. "Another example is this big director. He has made a multiverse of prostitutes, with Heeramandi, Bajirao Mastani, etc. Ladkiyan aur bhi toh kaam karti hain na (Girls can do other things as well). It just gets overwhelming. I don't mean to demean sex workers because I have also played one in Rajjo," she added. ALSO READ | Emergency movie review: Kangana Ranaut’s confused Indira Gandhi biopic is weak in craft Kangana revealed that she rejected Bhansali's offer to play Rani Padmavati in Padmaavat because she found the role to be insignificant. She said, "I was also offered Padmaavati. I asked him that it would be great if I can get the script of the film. He said, 'I never give my scripts'. Then I asked him, 'What is the role of the heroine then?' He said, 'The hero is struck by the heroine when he sees her getting ready in a mirror'." She further added, "When I actually watched the film, I realised that she is actually only getting ready in the entire film. He was right. I don't want to take these names and bring attention to individuals. But I want to ask, which director I should work with?" Back in 2016, the filmmaker praised Kangana, who won the National Award for Best Actress for Tanu Weds Manu Returns, but said that he would've liked if Deepika Padukone had won for Bajirao Mastani.
