Will Kangana Ranaut's Lok Sabha win reignite her brand value?

With her recent political triumph as a Member of Parliament from the Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh, actress Kangana Ranaut seems poised for a potential resurgence in her career in the media and entertainment industry.

Ranaut's foray into politics with this win in the Lok Sabha elections has sparked curiosity about whether this new dimension to her persona will help revitalise her p0sition in the entertainment industry, especially in the brand endorsement segment.

Most brand experts e4m spoke to were unsure about her current brand deals. “I am not aware of any brand deal with Kangana in the last couple of years except that she was named the brand ambassador of the UP government's ‘one district-one product’ scheme a year ago,” a brand specialist said.

Notably, in May 2023, Ranaut revealed on her Instagram story that her outspokenness against what she termed 'anti-nationals' led to the loss of 20-25 brand endorsements, resulting in a financial loss of Rs 30-40 crore.

She has not been part of any major ad campaigns despite her film releases and even national awards, industry leaders say.

That was not the case till a few years ago. After a handful of back-to-back successful films such as ‘Queen’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu’, the actor had not only been an A-list actor but was also quite active on the endorsement circuit.

At one point, she was endorsing varied products such as Emami, Myntra, Reebok, Tata Sky, Liva Fluid Fashion, Melange by Lifestyle and Jewellery brand Voylla.

Amidst controversies and polarizing opinions, Ranaut has remained vocal about her beliefs, often facing backlash and repercussions. She is perhaps one of the most trolled film personalities in India. Trolls often issue boycott calls of her films.

As Ranaut navigates the intersection of politics and entertainment, her ability to leverage her political stature to reclaim her position in the entertainment industry remains a subject of intrigue and speculation.

Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and Independent Director, says, “Now that Kangana has entered public life officially and has become a Lok Sabha member her brand value will be on the upswing again. However, as a public figure she may have to be a bit mindful about the endorsements she undertakes and the roles she takes on in her acting career.”

"She will also have to carefully assess the impact of her utterances on her voters and her parties’ line. In the past, Actor-politicians like Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna, Govinda, Shatrughan Sinha (who is MP again), Hema Malini and Sunny Deol, have successfully handled dual careers," Mathias noted.

Some observers, however, pointed out, "It is not easy to keep Kangana out of controversy. Just this Thursday, she was allegedly slapped at the Chandigarh airport by a CISF staffer for her alleged derogatory words about farmers' protests. While some brands may find it difficult to be associated with her, others may like to sign her as a brand ambassador due to her bold and beautiful persona."

Another brand expert stated, “Only time will tell whether her political journey will indeed facilitate her return to the spotlight, shining brighter than ever before.”