Stormy launch

Tension ran high during Kangana Ranaut’s visit to the city on Friday for a fashion show at a store launch. The event, for which Kangana was the show-stopper, was briefly interrupted by traffic cops.

Apparently the store’s owners had not obtained a “permission in writing” to hold the ramp walk outside the establishment on Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills.

A police patrol reached the spot and took off the spotlights flanking the red carpet stating that “it was disrupting traffic”. They also objected to the “DJ-type music”.

The presence of the cops left some of the guests jittery and a few did leave shortly.

Owner of the store, Dolly Lokwani Lohani, says, “We had obtained everything that was necessary for holding a show like this (which requires permission for bringing in a celebrity, holding the DJ and a fashion show). That’s why we were given a go-ahead for the show.”

Fortunately, Kangana had reached the store much before the incident and was waiting on the first floor. When the chaos broke out, Kangana, who is known to be temperamental, took it all calmly with a slightly bewildered smile.

The photographers meanwhile went berserk to click Kangana, who wore a emerald green jumpsuit. They paid no heed to the repeated requests from the emcee and model Shamita Singha to keep off the ramp. Kangana did try to control the situation by volunteering for photo-op. But Shamita got Kangana to chat first.

And as soon as the impatient media was given a nod for the press briefing, they stormed towards the actress and the exasperated host had to lash out: “No. I think we have to cut short this press conference.” Even the CEO of the brand, Varsha Bhawnani, wasn’t amused. “Well, this is not how you conduct yourself,” Varsha snapped.

The eight international models flown in for the show found some humour in the situation.

A few zoomed in their mobile cameras to record an over-zealous Indian paparazzi and one of them was heard sneering: “Indians!”

Amid this chaos, Kangana spoke to the press. “I love the city. It’s a city of pearls and I love pearls. I have many friends here. I have done films here.”

When is Kangana coming back to Tollywood? “I want to. Puri (Jagannadh) is a good friend. I know Prabhas so well. It’s high time they offered me films. Really,” said Kangana, who is looking forward to the release of her Hindi film Queen. “I love to keep getting a lot of work. I hope with Queen, I become the Queen of Bollywood,” she said, before being withdrawn upstairs.

“She was very upset,” the owner was heard saying when Kangana left the venue.