Anurag Basu, who directed Kangana Ranaut's Bollywood debut film Gangster in 2006, says the actress is growing as an artiste, and he feels proud about it.

Basu, who has also worked with Kangana in Life In a… Metro and Kites, says, "She is fantastic and growing with each film. I remember before starting shooting for Gangster, we had a workshop. I saw a spark in her, but had no idea that she will become such a huge star! We were working on her diction, looks and various things to prepare her and build the character. Now look at her, with every single character that she plays, she has mastered the art of character building."

It's been seven years since the two worked together in a film. But Basu says they are still in touch. "We don't call each other every day or have that regular conversation, but of course, we are in touch. After Tanu Weds Manu Returns became a huge success, I called her and talked about how great her performance was in the film, how she took it to the next level. I wish her the best for her future," adds the filmmaker.