Kangana Ranaut picks Salman Khan as 'quite cool', takes a dig at directors' list: 'Mere standards itne low nahi'

If there’s one thing Kangana Ranaut is known for, it’s her unfiltered honesty. From calling out nepotism when few in the industry dared to speak, to taking public digs at powerful names, Kangana has never believed in playing safe. On February 27, the actress was in her element.

During an interactive session with News 18, Kangana was asked to react to names like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra — and her responses were as sharp as ever.





Kangana was asked to pick the best friend among Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir. The question: “Aapka acha dost kaun hai?”

Her instant reply drew laughter. “Ye mere dost kab se bann gaye (laughs).”

When nudged to at least name the one she liked most, Kangana said, “I think Salman is quite cool.”

“Let’s go with Ananya Panday”

The conversation then shifted to the younger crop of actors — Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan — with Kangana being asked who she thought was the better actress.

Laughing, she replied, “Let’s go with Ananya Panday.”

The remark is noteworthy given their past. In 2022, during her appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, Kangana had mocked Ananya, referring to her as a ‘Bolly-bimbo’ and mimicking her ability to touch her nose with her tongue.

“Kam se kam list toh achi banani thi”

Perhaps the sharpest moment came when she was asked to choose the better director among Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Instead of picking one, Kangana took a swipe at the very premise.

“Meri jo filmmaking aur acting ke liye jo liking hai, mere standards itne low nahi jitne aapke hai. Kam se kam list toh achi banani thi,” she said.

Her equation with Karan Johar has been widely discussed since 2017, when she appeared on Koffee with Karan and called him the “flag-bearer of nepotism” and “movie mafia.” Over the years, she continued to criticise him for allegedly promoting star kids. Currently, however, she doesn’t actively revisit the controversy.



On the work front, Kangana is set to reunite with R Madhavan in an untitled psychological thriller, marking their collaboration after the successful Tanu Weds Manu franchise.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”