Kangana Ranaut, a Bollywood actress and BJP MP, sparked controversy with a now-deleted post on X on May 15, 2025, where she criticized US President Donald Trump and compared him to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the post, Ranaut reportedly called Trump an “alpha male” but claimed Modi was the “father of alpha males” or “alpha male ka baap,” suggesting Trump was jealous or insecure of Modi.
The post was in response to Trump’s alleged appeal to Apple CEO Tim Cook to prioritize manufacturing in the US over India’s “Make in India” campaign.
Following the post, BJP national president J.P. Nadda reportedly intervened, advising Ranaut to remove it. She deleted the post within hours, later expressing regret for sharing her “very personal opinion” on social media. Ranaut apologized, acknowledging the call from Nadda and reaffirming her support for her party’s stance. The incident drew significant attention, with some social media users mocking the BJP’s handling of diplomacy, while others criticized Ranaut’s remarks as impulsive.
In the context of the Kangana Ranaut-Trump controversy, Narendra Modi’s role is primarily as a reference point in Ranaut’s controversial X post and as the central figure in the broader diplomatic and economic narrative surrounding the issue.
Here’s a breakdown:
Subject of Ranaut’s Comparison: Kangana Ranaut, in her deleted X post on May 15, 2025, compared US President Donald Trump to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She reportedly described Trump as an “alpha male” but claimed Modi was the “father of alpha males” or “alpha male ka baap,” implying Modi’s superiority in leadership or stature. This comparison was part of her commentary on Trump’s alleged appeal to Apple CEO Tim Cook to prioritize US manufacturing over India’s “Make in India” initiative.
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Leader of “Make in India” Initiative: Modi, as India’s Prime Minister, is the architect of the “Make in India” campaign, launched in 2014 to boost domestic manufacturing and attract foreign investment. The controversy arose because Trump’s reported call to Tim Cook to shift Apple’s manufacturing focus from India to the US was perceived as a challenge to Modi’s economic vision. Ranaut’s post framed this as Trump being envious of Modi’s success in attracting global companies like Apple to India.
Diplomatic Context: Modi’s role extends to India’s broader diplomatic relations with the US, particularly under Trump’s second term (beginning January 2025). Modi has maintained a strong relationship with Trump, evidenced by events like the “Howdy, Modi!” rally in 2019 and Modi’s congratulatory message to Trump on his 2024 election win. Ranaut’s post, however, risked complicating this relationship by framing Trump as insecure or antagonistic toward Modi, prompting swift action from the BJP leadership to mitigate any diplomatic fallout.
Indirect Influence on BJP’s Response: While Modi himself is not reported to have directly intervened, the BJP, under his leadership, moved quickly to address Ranaut’s post. BJP national president J.P. Nadda reportedly advised Ranaut to delete it, reflecting the party’s sensitivity to maintaining stable India-US relations, a priority for Modi’s government.
Ranaut’s subsequent apology and acknowledgment of Nadda’s call underscore the party’s alignment with Modi’s diplomatic and political strategy.
In summary, Modi’s role in this controversy is as the symbolic and strategic leader of India’s economic and diplomatic ambitions, whose stature Ranaut invoked in her provocative comparison with Trump. His government’s focus on “Make in India” and strong US ties indirectly shaped the controversy and the BJP’s response to it.