Born on March 23, 1987, Kangana Ranaut, burst on the Hindi film scene with a gut-wrenching performance in Gangster (2006), opposite Shiney Ahuja and Emraan Hashmi. Having grown up in Shimla, this young actress began her career on stage in Delhi before graduating to films.

Kangana had been spotted by Gangster director Anurag Basu at a coffee shop, when he decided to sign her for his movie. The film was a commercial and critical success and Kangana's performance had made people sit up and notice her. She backed it up with another powerful performance in Woh Lamhe... in 2006, which was reportedly based on the late Parveen Babi's life. She followed this up with yet another great show in mentor Anurag Basu's Life In A… Metro. This performance too earned her great reviews from critics. Her latest film, Fashion, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, has her stealing the show from leading actress Priyanka Chopra.

The actress is currently enjoying a very good period in her career. She is acting opposite Hrithik Roshan in Rakesh Roshan's next, Kites, being directed by mentor Basu. This film is definitely a feather in her cap. The actress is also acting in the sequel to Raaz, Raaz - The Mystery Continues..., opposite Emraan Hashmi and current boyfriend, Adhyayan Suman.

Kangana is defintely one of the most promising young actresses of her generation. The accolades that she has won in the past for Gangster, Woh Lamhe... and Life In A.... Metro will bear witness to that.

She also starred in Shakalaka Boom Boom (2007) as an aspiring singer. Her next film, Fashion, starring Priyanka Chopra and Mugdha Godse, was released in 2008. The film, portraying the dark side of the fashion world, was a critical success, and Ranaut's portrayal, of a supermodel losing everything to drugs gained her widespread praise, fetching her various awards, including the prestigious Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award and National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Her last successful film was the thriller Raaz – The Mystery Continues with Emraan Hashmi. The movie has been a commercial success and was declared the first reasonable hit of 2009. Her next release was Vaada Raha with Bobby Deol. She starred in Ek Niranjan, a Telugu film directed by Puri Jagannath, whose previous film 'Pokiri' has been remade in Hindi as Wanted. In 2010, Kangna was seen in a guest appearance opposite Hrithik Roshan in Kites, and also starred in a leading role alongside Ajay Devgn in one of the year's most successful outings Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai.

Her first release of 2011 was Tanu Weds Manu, opposite R. Madhavan, a romantic comedy that proved to be successful at the box office. She was next seen in the multistarrer, Double Dhamaal, the sequel to Dhamaal. Ranaut appeared most recently in Rascals, alongside Ajay Devgn and Sanjay Dutt. The last film that she starred in was Tezz, directed by Priyadarshan, opposite Ajay Devgn. She was last seen in Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala.

Her upcoming films include I Love New Year, Krrish 3 and Rensil D' Silva’s next venture.