Kangana Ranaut's Sister Rangoli's Inside Story Of Surviving The Acid Attack!

Most of us our fighters in our own sense. Some are demanding equality, some are fighting against the patriarchal society, the world leaders want to fight terrorism, some want freedom and some are taking a prolonged fight for greater acceptance in the society. Such is the story of acid attack victims who are made to suffer in silence for an act they didn't commit. They are fighting with their inner self and the society while they are made to struggle for a lost identity.  Kangana Ranaut's sister, Rangoli Ranaut is one such survivor who in a recent interview with Pinkvilla, spoke about the trauma of an acid attack and the horror that followed. But with her sister's strength, family's support, and her grit and determination she has emerged stronger and more beautiful than she was before. 

Rangoli had lost one ear, 90% vision in one eye and her one breast is dysfunctional but that didn't pull her back!

"Acid permeates into the skin if untreated. So immediate medical help can only control it. If it is stronger, it destroys your organs. I have lost one ear. I have lost 90% vision in one of my eyes. I have a dysfunctional breast. And all this is after I got the best possible treatment in the country. Acid attack is not a regular accident. When it happened, I was unable to breathe because my windpipe was shrinking. Scars were the last thing on my mind then. I didn’t have the courage to face a mirror for three months. I was shaken up. My prerogative was struggling for my life because both my food and windpipe were severely damaged. I was in the hospital for a month and I underwent multiple surgeries during that time. Every day I was taken to the operation theater for something or the other."

Maybe Kangana is right. Maybe it is our fault. Maybe we are glorifying the wrong kind of heroes!

"I wanted her to come out and speak about this. Because when she was struggling, looking for hope, I didn’t know whose example to show her. We don’t glorify the right heroes. And I want men to know how far people stoop in aggression. We need to tell our children that one who does such things is not our hero. The hero is the one who survives blame, rejection, and ruthlessness. People should give my sister the credit she deserves. There is no reservation for attack victims. There are reservations for physically able people but those ostracized for no fault of theirs have no one championing for their cause. The guy who did this to my sister was out for two years before his trial started. Our society should see what criminals are capable of and set an example that no one takes this route of destroying someone’s life. Her life is not ruined but he is a scumbag and that should come across."

But Kangana always had her sister's back, especially when she needed her the most, when she was kind of, left alone to suffer. 

"Every time my mother and father would see her, they would faint. Physically faint. And I couldn’t take care of so many people. So I had to send them back. Her fiancé was in the Airforce, and even he fled. The attacker was someone who was obsessing over her. When we were in school, Taal had released and the whole town kept calling her Aishwarya Rai. She had sharp features, big eyes. I would feel bad that no one ever compared me with anyone. Rangoli had that presence. A guy had obsessed over her for years but she was very emotionally attached to the man my parents had chosen for her. They were in an intense relationship for two years but after the attack, he immediately washed hands off her. I was amazed at her strength when I told her that he might not marry you. She dismissively replied saying ‘whatever’."

And of course, an acid attack meant marriage trouble for her parents. 

"You don’t get this strength easily. My parents were doing their filmy drama ki iski shaadi kaise hogi, kya hoga iska. Once I came back from the hospital, Kangana would personally sponge me. The grafting was freshly done and it needed care. Kangana never cried in front of me but I could sense her tears."

But amidst all the chaos, Ajay became her "Knight and shining armour".

"Later she fell in love with her childhood friend Ajay. They dated for four years and even his mother was against the alliance. I went home thinking she must be shattered. She was lazying on a couch, watching TV, binging on chips.  Marriage was the last thing on her mind when she was fighting for life and her fiancé fled. But when she and Ajay were planning to marry, she was past that phase. When I asked her what if it doesn’t happen and she promptly replied saying, ‘If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. We will go for dinner somewhere.’ She is so tough and inspirational. Later that night, we went for dinner. And over Rajma Chawal, we chatted and laughed about the restaurant’s name."

Both of them have had a tough life. They have picked their battles and fought them ferociously. They are truly inspiring, talented and strong women, and we wish more power to these two!