Revelling in Rani’s charisma

BY SHAFEEN MUSTAQ

I didn’t like Rani Mukherjee for the stupidest reason. My favourite actor and actress are SRK and Kajol and my first exposure to Rani was in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai where my beloved Anjali loses her love to Tina. This indeed, was a grave error which set back Rani Mukherjee greatly in my esteem... but she has made leaps and bounds since then! Her films have silenced critics; her acting has wowed fans and converted many a sceptic. Her gravelly voice is now ‘unique’ and her short stature is now ‘cute’. Rani Mukherjee has carved a niche for herself in an industry that is quite her own, and to which she now offers the privilege of opening Beyond Bollywood, Australia’s Indian Film Festival for 2010.

It was a bubbly, talkative, congenial Rani who responded with perfect alacrity and charm at a meetthe-press in Sydney.

“I hope that the films in the festival will give Australians a glimpse into India and its rich cultural heritage, through the eyes of Bollywood,” she said. “Cinema is about opening up one culture to other cultures.

Indian movies reveal a lot about our way of life and traditions; they are all about heart and emotions... ”

Speaking about her own career in films which began she was 17, Rani said her first films - the Hindi Raja Ki Ayegi Baraat and the Bengali Biyer Phool (directed by her dad Ram Mukherjee) - released together. At that age, Rani admits, she indiscriminately worked in whichever films came her way; by her own admission she didn’t know any better and the excitement at actually being offered so many opportunities was wonderful to a newcomer. However, Rani soon became more discerning on realising that what she really wanted to do was meaningful cinema that would shape the industry, not just any role that came her way.

There’s no doubt that Rani is a near-perfectionist

KANK I play a woman who cheats on her husband. But it wasn’t about cheating or having an affair, it was about following your heart and that was the message I was trying to convey… Playing a very diverse range of roles and working with talented people has helped me grow into a better actor and person”.

What’s also important for the actress is who she works with.

“Making Bunty aur Babli was a lot of fun, while Paheli was Shah Rukh Khan’s production. A romantic at heart, I enjoyed Hum Tum as it was a love story. Even KANK I identified with because it was about being true to oneself and working with Abhishek Bachchan was a treat. In Dil Bole Hadippa I got to experiment with my look as well as train in cricket, and I actually fell in love with the game! ”

Inspiration plays a big part in the career and future of this warm, bubbly actress. She admitted to the intention of working in every film that comes her way, but only if it inspires her. She is happy to do Bengali, Marathi, even French films, because of each one’s portrayal of characters and their performances. “It doesn’t matter where the film comes from; it’s about the film itself and if it inspires or challenges me,” said challenges me as an actor,” she said.

On being asked about stepping into a directorial role, Rani was noncommittal. She admitted that after spending years as an actor in the film industry, it is assumed that the lure of directing a film is quite strong. “I will never say never because I don’t know what plans God has in store for me. If I get energy rush in my body and find a project I believe in, I will switch to directing,” she said.

And where would Rani be at this point of time if she wasn’t an actress?

“Probably married somewhere in Kolkata with a husband and two kids, making chappatis with my pallu tucked into my kamar”, she said, tongue in cheek. She said she owed her present success to her mother, who drove her to acting and supported her at every step of the way.

Rani admitted that she felt blessed, and that nothing in life is impossible, if one has the passion to do it. Acting and interacting with people within and without the industry has taught her so much and made her grateful to be alive and living in the world we live in.

We wish Rani all the very best in her upcoming film