BOMBAY TIMES EXCLUSIVE
“I don’t think I ever missed out on an interesting project because I was married or occupied with motherhood duties or other commitments. For an actor like me my job comes first. I have never shied away from being who I am in terms of my age. I never believed age could be a factor for me not to get work. I won’t get work if I don’t know how to act.”
Rani Mukerji has been a quintessential mainstream entertainer and over the years, an actress with a purpose.She may have waltzed into our hearts as Tina (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) but soon, shed that glamourous peppy exterior to reveal her mettle as an actor through diverse performances. We spoke to Rani about what inspires her, what moves the audience, and her priorities and choices. Read on…
In 2023, we saw you on the big screen as a fierce mother in Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway. It made people wonder why aren’t they seeing more of you on screen?
I think I have been quite consistent as far as work is concerned though it may not be perceived that way. I take up work when I am inspired by it. I can’t do films for the sake of it. There is an audience out there who has certain expectations from me, so I take time to choose my films. Also, great roles don’t come easily. You need to wait for them. Whenever something interesting comes to me, I jump at it. I don’t think I ever missed out on an interesting project because I was married, occupied with motherhood duties or other commitments. I will always put my work first for a role that inspires me and work things around it.

In many households, women prioritising work is still looked upon as a privilege, isn’t it?
It’s easy for me to be in my position and say this, but the fact remains that I do have a very supportive husband (Aditya Chopra) and an equally supportive daughter (Adira). Even between my work, I ensure her needs are met. She knows that mamma is there for her always and when mamma needs to go to work, she needs to go to work. A lot of women don’t have this luxury. They may not have a supportive partner or a support system to look after their children. So, I understand that it must be very difficult for them. I can never take my job for granted. I am able to make my job a priority. Some women don’t get that opportunity. Everyone who is reading this, I urge them to be more supportive of the women in their lives, be it their mother, wife, sister or daughter. Let the women live their dreams as that’s the only way to raise a happy family.

Your choice of cinema has been a fine blend of entertainment and social messaging. From addressing domestic grievances in your earlier movies, to being an eye candy in Ghulam, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, the girl next door in Saathiya, the crusader of truth in No one Killed Jessica, to a troubled, de-glam fierce mother in films like Talaash and Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway – you never followed a pattern. Was it a conscious choice?
Our choice of cinema is guided by the situation we are in at that point in time. Things change with every decade and so do our mindsets. The way I looked at life and cinema also changed. It was a very gradual and organic process. People have always been fascinated and inspired by cinema, so I always feel if I can use it as a tool to send a message across, why not? I always want to do things beyond entertainment. Art imitates life and it’s about growing up. When I started off, I was a teenager. I grew up with cinema, and I simultaneously learnt about life as a human being. As you grow older and wiser, different things inspire or trigger you. These things defined the choices in my life.
2023 proved that big screen entertainment can’t be replaced. A bunch of films went on to break box office records, stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol came back with a bang. Even your film (Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway) did well and changed the age-old narrative on ageism. Thoughts?
I would always like to be seen on the big screen. I have never shied away from being who I am in terms of my age. I have never believed age could be a factor for me not to get work. I won’t get work if I don’t know how to act. If I can do justice to a role, those roles will come to me. An audience is always looking for great films. They don’t have an agenda. If you entertain them, they will accept you wholeheartedly and entertainment doesn’t mean just dancing around. You can entertain them with a drama, a significant topic, action or comedy. More than the genre, it’s important to stay truthful to the story. I made my debut in 1996, so I can’t take credit for being a 90’s actor completely. And yes, when you speak of Shah Rukh and all my colleagues, I am happy for all of us.

When you start out as early as you did, there could be a burnout at some point. If given an opportunity to go back in time, would you take things slowly or follow the same path?
I didn’t become an actor out of my choice. I became an actor because my mother asked me to for her. If I would have waited, I don’t think I would have become an actor today. I am glad I did what I did. Regardless of the mistakes I made in my career, my audience has given me unconditional love for each of my films. I don’t think any actor can feel burned out until you burn yourself out. Sportsmen keep themselves fit because they need to perform well. Similarly, an actor has to work on themselves mentally and physically to face the camera.