Queen is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Vikas Bahl and produced by Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, and Madhu Mantena. The film features Kangana Ranaut in the lead role, with Lisa Haydon and Rajkummar Rao in supporting roles. The story follows Rani Mehra, a shy Punjabi girl from New Delhi who travels alone to Paris and Amsterdam for her honeymoon after her fiancé cancels their wedding.

Vikas Bahl and Chaitally Parmar, along with Parveez Shaikh, helped write the script. Anvita Dutt Guptan wrote the film’s dialogues. Kangana Ranaut, who added her own lines during filming as encouraged by Bahl, is credited as an additional dialogue writer. Amit Trivedi composed the music, and Guptan also wrote the lyrics. Filming began in 2012 and lasted 45 days. Queen received very good reviews from critics, who praised its direction, screenplay, and Ranaut’s performance. Many critics called it the best Indian film of 2014. The film cost about ₹230 million (US$2.7 million) to make and earned over ₹950 million (US$11 million) worldwide, making it a commercial success. It is one of the highest-grossing Indian films with a female lead.

The film won many awards at Indian and international ceremonies. At the 60th Filmfare Awards, it received 13 nominations and won 6 awards, including Best Film, Best Director (Bahl), and Best Actress (Ranaut). At the 62nd National Film Awards, it won Best Hindi Film (Bahl) and Best Actress (Ranaut).

Many scholars consider Queen an important film that helped promote women’s rights. Over time, it gained a large fan base. Publications like Paste and Film Companion named it one of the best films of the 2010s. O, The Oprah Magazine and Cosmopolitan listed it as one of the best films in Indian cinema. Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express included Queen in a list of India’s 75 most iconic films. The British Film Institute ranked Queen among the 10 greatest Bollywood films of the 21st century.

Plot

Rani Mehra (played by Kangana Ranaut) is a 24-year-old woman from Delhi who is kind, quiet, and comes from a traditional Punjabi background. Two days before her wedding, her fiancé, Vijay Dhingra (played by Rajkumar Rao), tells her he no longer wants to marry her. He explains that his life has changed since living abroad, and he believes Rani's traditional lifestyle would not fit with his new way of living. Shocked by this, Rani spends a day alone in her room, thinking about how she and Vijay met and fell in love. She asks her parents if she can go on a pre-booked trip to Paris and Amsterdam alone, as she wants to take control of her situation. After some hesitation, her parents agree, hoping the trip will help her feel better. Rani's grandmother supports her decision and tells her that sometimes difficult events can lead to good outcomes.

In Paris, Rani meets Vijayalakshmi (played by Lisa Haydon), a lively woman of French, Spanish, and Indian heritage who works at the hotel where Rani is staying. Feeling overwhelmed by the city and getting into trouble twice—once with the police and once with a robber—Rani considers returning to India. However, Vijayalakshmi helps her and shows her around Paris. The two have many adventures, and Rani reflects on memories of Vijay criticizing her for not dancing or drinking, which she is now free to do in Paris. During one incident, Rani accidentally sends a selfie of herself wearing a revealing outfit to Vijay instead of Vijayalakshmi. She quickly realizes her mistake, but the photo reminds Vijay of his feelings for her, and he decides to find her.

When it is time to leave Paris for Amsterdam, Rani says goodbye to Vijayalakshmi with sadness. In Amsterdam, she discovers her hostel room is shared with three men: Taka from Japan, Tim from France, and Oleksander from Russia. At first, she is unsure, but she soon becomes friends with them and spends time shopping, visiting places of interest, going to a church, and meeting pole dancers at a club. She befriends a pole dancer named Roxette/Rukhsar (played by Sabeeka Imam), a Pakistani woman who supports her family in Lahore and is also a friend of Vijayalakshmi.

As Rani spends time with her new friends, she begins to feel more confident and starts making her own choices. She realizes her ability to earn money and wins a cook-off by selling gol gappas. After the event, she shares a romantic moment with Marcello, an Italian restaurant owner, and experiences her first kiss with someone from another country. However, they decide not to continue their relationship. She learns more about her friends' lives and begins to understand how different people's experiences can be in other parts of the world.

One day, Vijay appears at the hostel and apologizes to Rani, asking her to reconsider their relationship. Their conversation becomes tense when Vijay tries to grab her, but her friends stop him, and Rani tells him to leave. She decides to miss a concert with her friends to meet Vijay and talk about their future. Vijay criticizes her new friends and her choices, such as drinking champagne and living with men from other countries, and tells her she does not understand foreigners. This makes Rani leave the conversation, saying she will talk to him again after returning to Delhi. She later meets her friends one last time at the concert, says goodbye with tears, and returns to India.

Back in Delhi, Rani visits Vijay's home. Thinking she has forgiven him, Vijay and his family begin planning their wedding. Instead, Rani gives him back his engagement ring and says "thank you," explaining that he helped her grow by letting her go. She leaves with a confident smile on her face.

Cast

• Kangana Ranaut as Rani Mehra (Rani means Queen in English)
• Rajkumar Rao as Vijay Dhingra, Rani's selfish and aggressive future husband
• Lisa Haydon as Vijayalakshmi, Rani's friend
• Mish Boyko as Oleksander (Sikander)
• Jeffrey Ho as Taka
• Joseph Guitobh as Tim
• Tantrik Baba as Baba
• Marco Canadea as Marcello, Rani's Crush
• Yogendra Tiku as Rani's Father
• Alka Badola Kaushal as Rani's Mother
• Sabeeka Imam as Roxette (Rukhsar)
• Chinmai Chandranshuh as Chintu Mehra, Rani's Brother
• Tripta Lakhanpal as Dadi
• Nayani Dixit as Sonal
• Alexandre Plasti Melara as flying pig drunk No. 1
• Leonardo Pricoli as flying pig drunk No. 2

Production

Producer-director Vikas Bahl began his career as a director with Chillar Party (2011), which he co-directed with Nitesh Tiwari. The film received three National Film Awards. Vikas Bahl liked the story of Queen and decided to direct the film himself. The movie was produced by Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Phantom Films, which Vikas Bahl co-owns with Anurag Kashyap and Vikram Motwane.

The lead role of Rani was first offered to Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra, but both actresses declined the opportunity. Vikas Bahl wrote the script based on people he observed growing up in Delhi. He explained, "I know life for girls is planned out by their families. They lose their own perspective on life and are okay with that." In many cases, families focus on arranging marriages for girls over 20, leaving them without personal plans. The script was designed so that in the first half, Rani moves past a romantic relationship, and in the second half, she gains independence. Vikas Bahl wrote the script with Kangana Ranaut in mind, but Anurag Basu helped connect him with her for the role.

After her audition, actress Lisa Haydon, who played an Indo-French hotel staff member named Vijaylaksmi, practiced French for a month. Other actors, including Mish Boyko (Alexander) and Jeffery Ho (Taka), were cast after auditions in London. Joseph Guitobh (Tim), who played Rani’s third roommate, was discovered singing on the street and asked if he would be interested in working in Hindi films, even though he could not speak English.

The film was filmed in late 2012 over 45 days, beginning in Paris, followed by Amsterdam and Delhi. Vikas Bahl had a limited budget for the film and brought a crew of 25 people from India to shoot in about 145 locations over 40 days. Locations were booked for only a few hours at a time, and the crew often moved quickly between sites, filming 3–4 locations in a single day. Crew members ate meals at nearby restaurants, and actors, including lead Kangana Ranaut, sometimes changed clothes in public restrooms or restaurants. Since the film was not shot in a linear order, the fading of mehndi (a traditional henna design on a bride’s hands) was adjusted to match its natural appearance over time. During filming, Kangana Ranaut suggested adding scenes, such as a kiss with an Italian chef and a moment where Rani asks a stranger to take her picture in Amsterdam. She also wrote much of her own dialogue and received credit for it. The director allowed actors to improvise lines to make the film feel more realistic.

A remixed version of the song "Hungama Ho Gaya" was filmed at Club NL in Amsterdam, where a Hindi song was played for the first time.

However, when 90% of the film was already completed, cinematographer Bobby Singh suddenly passed away due to an asthma attack on December 25, 2012, shortly after finishing a filming schedule in Delhi. After watching early footage of the film, Anurag Kashyap offered to edit it himself. Since Vikas Bahl had no editors at the time, he agreed to let Kashyap take on the task.

Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack was created by Amit Trivedi, with lyrics written by Anvita Dutt. The album was first released only on iTunes on January 23, 2014. It was then made available on all streaming platforms on January 25, 2014. A physical version of the album was released on February 5, 2014, during the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai. An extra track was added on March 1, 2014. This track was a remixed version of the 1970s song "Hungama Ho Gaya," originally performed by Asha Bhosle in the film Anhonee (1973). Amit Trivedi remixed this song for the film, and Arijit Singh added vocals. The song was also included in the film's end credits.

Critical reception

The movie Queen, as well as Kangana Ranaut's performance, received a lot of praise from critics. On the review website Rotten Tomatoes, Queen has a 90% approval rating based on 10 reviews, with an average score of 8 out of 10. On the Indian review site The Review Monk, Queen received an average score of 8.1 out of 10 based on 31 reviews, with all critics giving positive feedback.

Meena Iyer from Times of India gave the film a rating of 4.5 out of 5 and wrote, "This film belongs to its director, Vikas Bahl; Bollywood should celebrate him." She praised Kangana Ranaut's performance, saying, "Whether she is sad, happy, selling snacks, or buying toys, she did an excellent job."

Sarita Tanwar from DNA gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is irresistible. Highly recommended. A must-see film." She praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana showed both humor and emotion. Her performance was surprising and impressive."

Saurabh Dwivedi from India Today gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating and called it a "must-watch." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana did an excellent job playing Rani. She proved she is serious about her career."

Devesh Sharma from Filmfare gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is a step forward for Indian cinema." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance was strong. She showed her ability to act in many ways."

Subhash K Jha from The New Indian Express gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 rating and called it a "near-flawless inspirational story." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance made the film successful."

Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is fun and uplifting. It leaves a lasting impression." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance was heartfelt and showed her talent."

Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is a fresh and emotional film." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana acted in a way that made her character feel real."

Anupama Chopra gave the film a 3.5 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is about Rani's change. It made me think about her future."

Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and called it a "journey of self-discovery." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance was honest and showed her character well."

Raja Sen from Rediff gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is a film that shows how talented Kangana is." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance was powerful and unforgettable."

Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is a meaningful film with a strong lead performance." She praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana did an excellent job in her role."

Sudhish Kamath from The Hindu wrote, "Queen is about a girl finding her identity." He praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana made the film enjoyable with her performance."

Namrata Joshi from Outlook India gave the film a 3.5 out of 4 rating and wrote, "Queen is a simple but warm film."

Deepanjana Pal from Firstpost called Queen a "fabulous film" and praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana's performance was perfect and full of humor."

Shafiq Ul Hasan from The Express Tribune gave the film a 4 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is about a woman finding herself after her wedding is canceled." He praised Ranaut and the director, saying, "Kangana's performance was one of her best."

David Chute from Variety wrote, "Queen is a modest film that surprised many with its charm."

Olga Camacho from The National wrote, "The film avoids clichés and focuses on real relationships."

Suparna Sharma from Deccan Chronicle gave the film a 3 out of 5 rating and wrote, "Queen is a kind and thoughtful film." She praised Ranaut, saying, "Kangana has always been a talented actress."

Impact and legacy

According to Hindustan Times, the film Queen is seen as a key film that helped Kangana Ranaut gain recognition. It made Ranaut one of the most in-demand actors in the Hindi film industry and changed the way Bollywood movies were made. It also inspired films such as NH10 (2015), Piku (2015), Neerja (2016), Pink (2016), and Lipstick Under My Burkha (2017). The article said that Queen’s success gave more opportunities to female actors and producers, who no longer had to worry about not having famous stars in their films. Oshin Fernandes from The Free Press Journal called Queen a “niche-breaker” in Hindi cinema. Critics described Queen as a “game-changer” and said it gave hope to women who wanted to live their lives on their own terms. Farhan Syed of Times of India listed Queen as one of the ten Bollywood movies that broke stereotypes. Queen popularized solo trips and inspired many women to travel to Europe alone. In 2019, Megha Sharma from Vogue India published a guide to a solo European holiday inspired by Queen.

Namrata Joshi called Queen a “game-changer.” She wrote that Queen (2014) was a turning point because it was a low-budget film that became very popular. Other films later included stories about men supporting women’s causes, such as Aamir Khan in Dangal (2016) or Akshay Kumar making rotis for his on-screen wife in Jolly LLB 2 (2017). Saibal Chatterjee said Ranaut’s performance in Queen was important for her career and for young actresses who want to challenge norms in Bollywood. Baradwaj Rangan said Queen showed that audiences enjoy films centered on women, whether they are serious dramas or light-hearted stories. Devesh Sharma of Filmfare called Queen a step forward for Indian cinema and said it would encourage more story-focused films in the future.

Runjhun Noopur from Arré called Queen a classic film that is still relevant today. She described it as a groundbreaking and influential feminist film. She said Queen is a story that connects people and gives hope. Shrishti Negi from CNN-IBN called Queen one of the best movies of the 2010s and said it represented the year 2014 in Hindi cinema. She noted that Queen showed a different kind of love—self-love—rather than the usual romance between a man and a woman. Anupama Chopra called Queen a “Kangana’s triumph.” Arushi Kapoor from Vagabomb said Queen was the most feminist film in recent years and highlighted its message about a woman finding herself after a difficult experience.

Shubhra Gupta from The Indian Express named Queen as one of India’s seventy-five most iconic films. She also included it in her book 50 Films That Changed Bollywood. In 2017, cultural professor Rachel Dwyer listed Queen as one of the 70 iconic movies of Independent India.

Deepanjana Pal of Firstpost said Queen was the first film that allowed Ranaut to show her acting skills beyond her looks. Aamy Kuldip of Brown Girl Magazine said Queen should be a favorite for many women and called Ranaut’s character, Rani, an example of a strong, confident woman.

Ranaut’s character, Rani Mehra, became one of the most popular characters in Hindi cinema. India Film Project listed her as one of the four best characters in Hindi cinema. Alisha Alam of Times of India called her one of the strongest female characters in Bollywood. Filmfare listed her as one of the fifteen strongest women in Bollywood. Hindustan Times listed her as one of the thirteen most powerful women in Bollywood. Vogue India, ScoopWhoop, and other publications also recognized her as an empowering and relatable character.

Queen was listed as one of the best Indian films of the 2010s by many publications, including Film Companion, Paste, Times of India, and The Indian Express. It was also named one of the best Bollywood films of all time by Esquire, the British Film Institute, Time Out, Marie Claire, and other sources. Publications such as ZEE5, O, The Oprah Magazine, and The Free Press Journal also highlighted Queen as a must-watch film.

Box office

The movie Queen earned ₹847 million (US$10 million) in India and ₹103 million (US$1.2 million) overseas, totaling ₹950 million (US$11 million) worldwide.

At its first showing, Queen made ₹2 crore (US$236,562) on the first day, ₹33.5 million (US$400,000) on the second day, and ₹43 million (US$510,000) on the third day. This brought the total for the first weekend to ₹95 million (US$1.1 million). Even though it started with lower earnings, Queen performed well during the first week, earning about ₹25 million (US$300,000) each day and reaching ₹180 million (US$2.1 million) by the end of the first week.

On the second Monday, Queen earned ₹30 million (US$350,000), which happened to coincide with a holiday in India. The movie earned more in the second week than the first week, totaling ₹390 million (US$4.6 million) over two weeks. In the third week, Queen saw a big increase, earning ₹115 million (US$1.4 million), which brought the total for the third week to ₹505 million (US$6.0 million).

During the fourth week, Queen earned ₹65 million (US$770,000), which is the 11th highest total for a Hindi film in its fourth week. The final amount earned in India was just over ₹600 million (US$7.1 million).

Awards and nominations

At the 62nd National Film Awards, the film won Best Hindi Film (Bahl) and Best Actress (Ranaut). At the 60th Filmfare Awards ceremony, Queen won 6 awards out of 13 nominations. These awards included Best Film, Best Director (Bahl), Best Actress (Ranaut), Best Background Score (Trivedi), Best Cinematography, and Best Editing. At the 2015 Screen Awards ceremony, Queen received 13 nominations and won Best Film, Best Director (Bahl), and Best Cinematography. Other nominations included Best Actress (Ranaut) and Best Supporting Actress (Haydon). At the 2015 Star Guild Awards, the film won Best Director (Bahl), Best Story, Best Screenplay, and Best Editing. Queen also won Best Film, Best Director (Bahl), and Best Actress (Ranaut) at the 2015 Stardust Awards ceremony. At the 16th IIFA Awards, Queen received 7 nominations and won 5 awards, including Best Film and Best Actress (Ranaut).