Bollywood MP Kangana faces furious crowd amid disaster

What was meant to be a relief visit turned into a scene of tension when Bollywood actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut faced angry locals in Himachal Pradesh's Manali. Residents of Patlikuhal, frustrated over delayed help after heavy rains and landslides, greeted her with slogans of “Go back Kangana, you are late,” holding black flags and expressing their resentment. Videos of the incident quickly went viral, highlighting the stark gap between political visibility and ground reality during disasters.

The floods and landslides on August 25-26 devastated large parts of Kullu and Manali. The Beas river’s surge washed away a multi-storey hotel, shops, and crucial stretches of the Chandigarh-Manali and Manali-Leh highways. Right Bank Road, connecting Kullu city and Manali, suffered extensive damage. Homes in Ramshele and the 14 Mile area of Manali were flooded, and a fish farm in Patlikuhal was destroyed.

Kangana visited Solang and Palchan, assessing the situation and interacting with locals. BJP leader and former MLA Govind Singh Thakur briefed her about the infrastructure losses and the relocation of 15-16 endangered families. Residents warned that Solang village could slide entirely as the Beas river erodes the mountain it sits on. They suggested channelising the river as a necessary remedy.

While her visit aimed to show solidarity, the reception reflects a deeper frustration among disaster-hit communities over delayed relief, bureaucratic slowdowns, and the gap between political promises and real action. Analysts note that celebrity-politicians often become lightning rods during crises, where public anger is less about the individual and more about systemic inadequacies in governance and disaster management.

The incident underscores a crucial lesson: effective disaster response requires timely intervention and consistent on-ground support, not just symbolic visits. It also highlights the delicate balance political figures must maintain when navigating empathy, visibility, and public accountability during calamities.