Admiring rivals

Kangana Ranaut and Priyanka ChopraKangana Ranaut and Priyanka Chopra were pitted against each other at the 62nd National Film Awards but the Queen star, who was declared the best actress, says they have no professional rivalry.

Kangana, 28, won her second national award for the Vikas Bahl-directed film. “It’s been long-long journey with Priyanka and it began during Fashion when I was a starry-eyed fan of hers. She was a superstar during that time and today I am competing with her. It feels great. We have always maintained our friendship since 2008. She had no reason to choose me as her friend because I was a nobody at that time. She called me from California and congratulated me after the awards were announced. We spoke for an hour,” Kangana says.

Post Kangana’s win, Priyanka had congratulated her Fashion co-star and had tweeted, “I hate losing. But if I had to take a back seat to anyone this year it would be you #KanganaRanaut! Congratulations!yay Queen!#SmallTownGirls.”

Kangana said she has highest regard for the former Miss World and her work.