Kangana Ranaut shares 1997 Maa Sita photo, sends 'aashirwad to all liberals'
Synopsis
Kangana Ranaut dug up a 1997 school photo of herself as Maa Sita — and turned it into a political statement. Captioning a zoomed version 'My aashirwad to all liberals,' she waded into the Gen Z protest debate with a blend of nostalgia and pointed cultural provocation that is entirely on-brand for the Mandi MP.
Key Takeaways
Kangana Ranaut shared a 1997 childhood photograph in which she played Maa Sita in a school Ramayana play in Sarkaghat, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh .
She captioned a zoomed version of the image 'My aashirwad to all liberals,' widely seen as a political jab.
The posts follow a week of controversy over Kangana's criticism of Gen Z protesters , whom she reportedly called 'gutter chhaap' in social media posts.
She also objected to protesters' language targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi .
Her latest film, Bharat Bhagya Vidhata , directed by Manoj Tapadia , received a mixed box-office response.
Actress and politician Kangana Ranaut revisited her childhood on 31 July, sharing a photograph from 1997 in which she portrayed Maa Sita in a school Ramayana play — and used the nostalgic post to take a pointed dig at her political critics.
The Childhood Photograph
The image, captioned 'Sweet memories,' originates from Kangana's school in Sarkaghat, Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh. It shows a young Kangana draped in a red sari as Maa Sita, flanked by a classmate dressed as Lord Ram, while a third child costumed as Hanuman kneels before them with folded hands.
She also posted a zoomed-in version of the same image focusing solely on herself, adding the caption: 'My aashirwad to all liberals' — an unmistakable barb directed at her ideological opponents.
Context: Kangana's Remarks on Gen Z Protests
The posts come amid a week of controversy surrounding Kangana's commentary on ongoing Gen Z protests. In a series of social media posts, the actress-politician criticised demonstrators and referred to some of them as 'gutter chhaap' — a derogatory Hindi phrase loosely translating to 'street trash'. She also objected to the language used by certain protesters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media and at the protest sites.
The remarks drew sharp reactions online, making Kangana one of the most discussed public figures on social media this week. Her decision to post the Maa Sita photograph in this charged atmosphere was widely read as a deliberate cultural and political statement.
On the Work Front
Kangana was most recently seen in Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, a medical drama-thriller centred on the staff of Mumbai's Cama and Albless Hospital during the 26/11 terror attacks. Directed by Manoj Tapadia, the film featured Kangana in the role of a nurse, paying tribute to the healthcare workers who protected nearly 400 patients during one of India's most harrowing nights. The film received a mixed response at the box office.
What This Signals
Notably, this is not the first time Kangana has used cultural or religious imagery to frame a political position. The actress, who represents the Mandi constituency in the Lok Sabha as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member, has consistently blended her public persona with ideological messaging. The 'aashirwad' caption, invoking the divine authority of Maa Sita, underscores how she continues to deploy identity and mythology as tools of political communication.
Point of View
Identity politics, and social media provocation into a single image. What mainstream coverage tends to flatten as 'controversy' is actually a recurring pattern: the Mandi MP consistently uses religious and cultural iconography to frame ideological battles, making her social media feed an extension of political messaging rather than personal expression. The Gen Z protest remarks that preceded this post were already generating heat; the Maa Sita image amplifies the framing without adding a single factual claim — which is precisely the point. India's political communication landscape increasingly rewards this kind of symbolic escalation over substantive debate, and Kangana has mastered the format.
NationPress
31 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What photograph did Kangana Ranaut share on social media?
Kangana Ranaut shared a 1997 childhood photograph in which she played Maa Sita in a school Ramayana play at her school in Sarkaghat, Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh. The image shows her in a red sari alongside classmates dressed as Lord Ram and Hanuman.
What did Kangana mean by 'aashirwad to all liberals'?
Kangana captioned a zoomed-in version of her 1997 Maa Sita photograph with 'My aashirwad to all liberals,' widely interpreted as a sarcastic or pointed remark directed at her political critics. The post came amid her ongoing public criticism of Gen Z protesters.
What controversy surrounds Kangana Ranaut's Gen Z protest remarks?
In a series of social media posts, Kangana criticised Gen Z protesters and reportedly called some of them 'gutter chhaap,' a derogatory term. She also objected to the language used by certain protesters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing sharp reactions online.
What is Kangana Ranaut's latest film?
Kangana's most recent film is Bharat Bhagya Vidhata, a medical drama-thriller directed by Manoj Tapadia. Set during the 26/11 terror attacks, it follows the staff of Mumbai's Cama and Albless Hospital who protected nearly 400 patients. The film received a mixed box-office response.
What political position does Kangana Ranaut hold?
Kangana Ranaut is a Member of Parliament representing the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh, elected on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.
