“I am a woman, I am a born multitasker!”
Rani Mukerji on the silver screen is in itself momentous; she coming back with her hit franchise Mardaani is fantastic. Having been a powerpacked performer for decades, it is hardly a surprise that Rani Mukerji’s stellar body of work makes her one of the best actors ever produced by India. With her performances she has given Indian Cinema some incredibly powerful characters. From Sashi in Yuva, Saamiya in Veer-Zaara, Aparna in Hey Ram, Michelle McNally in Black, Naina Mathur in Hichki, Meera Gaity in No One Killed Jessica, Shivani Shivaji Roy in her Mardaani series - Rani has immortalised some of the most charismatic and phenomenal female protagonists in the history of Bollywood. And she isn’t stopping with that.
When you say Rani Mukerji – you automatically conjure a husky voice, light eyes and a beautiful smile. As she walks into the room with her high-heels clicking staccato, you know that you are bestowed with warmth and a certain amount of esteem merely being in her presence. With a reassuring smile for all, she settle down in front of the microphone ready to answer the volley of questions regarding her personal and her professional life…
After Hichhki, for over a year we didn’t see Rani Mukerji in any films. She is not someone who does commercials very often, neither does she host reality shows. In other words, if she is not coming out with a film you will never see or hear from Rani Mukerji. Being a mother to a toddler and being married to one of the most illustrious Bollywood families – the Chopras – Rani’s life is usually surrounded by a select group of people, making her very withdrawn when it comes to people from outside her circle. Yet, when she walks in front of the camera, you will relate to the characters she plays even without her being anything like them. With Mardaani 2, she is asking some rather poignant questions in a country that is burning under the pressure of sexual crimes. Of course, we wanted to know how easy it was for her to remove the khaki uniform and return to her cosy family, after playing such an intense character…
Rape has been an issue that you have often raised your voice against. For someone who doesn’t freely give her opinion this is one subject that you have never kept quiet about. You seem to be meshing your films with your social interests, is that a conscious decision?
I am a woman, I am a born multitasker. I like to make films, which also make a difference. It makes me feel wholesome. But never have I felt that it is my responsibility as an actor to make films which are socially relevant. No, I don’t
have to do that. I do it because I have chanced upon this brilliant script that needs to see the silver screen. My views about my profession is pretty simple. I am an actor, I am meant only and only to entertain. I will be frank and tell you, when I hear a script I need know that it will be entertaining first, and socially relevant later.
Having said that, I have always looked to celebrate the strength of women through my films whenever I have got the opportunity. No One Killed Jessica, Black, Mardaani, Hichki, etc are some of the favourite films of my career because they resonated with who I’m as a person in real life and my belief in how a woman should always be perceived. For me, a woman is a pillar of strength for her family, community, husband, child and I do feel we don’t celebrate women enough.”
When you started off as an actress with films like Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat and Ghulam etc, women-centric and commonplace films had a very niche audience. Today the scenario is more common place. How do you perceive this change?
I can see the tides changing and I can’t tell you how thrilled I’m as a woman and as an artiste. I have silently tried to do my best to bring out powerful women on screen and impact the psyche of people through their lives. I get so happy when I see the young actors choosing to do gritty, women-centric films that give out the correct message about women to society.
Having done the first instalment of Mardaani a good half a decade ago, was it difficult to start off where you stopped?
I do play Shivani Shivaji Roy, but she is much different from the first instalment, especially when it comes to the body language, the stance, the approach to the role. The difference primarily comes from the fact that
Shivani is now at a higher position at the force. She is not someone who is taking orders, in fact she is giving. It makes a difference, your approach towards the scene changes considerably, which worked for me, because it is a difficult role plus to match it with something done previously would have been distracting.
The subject this time around is darker because it deals with a juvenile delinquent getting into crime. It is a difficult subject, didn’t it take a lot to delve into it?
I think it’s that collective anger and the disgust that we have felt each time when you have heard these kind of crimes, somewhere we haven’t been able to channelize those feelings of anger and frustration. Through
‘Mardaani 2’ as a woman, I get to do a role where I am empowering other women to channelize that energy and tap that inner strength in them. That happens with me too when I play the character. So, I get a chance to let out what I have felt or what has been inside me whenever I read these kind of things or get to know.
I strongly believe that the environment in which you grow up actually makes you the person you eventually become in life. But are we giving all the children a safe and healthy environment? Are we really teaching our boys right from wrong? Are you teaching them to respect women in the true sense? And that’s where it all starts. Then of course, the debate about what needs to happen and what kind of punishments need to happen for these people. That’s another discussion. But ‘Mardaani’ as a franchise is focusing more on making women aware that such crimes are taking place not far from them. People who commit these crimes do not come with a certain age or face. They are faceless criminals who are capable of doing heinous crimes. So, one shouldn’t go by anything and instead, be alert at all times.
One can see your dedication towards your craft, but is there a part of you that goes into panic mode, even today? Do Fridays make you nervous?
Of course, I am anxious before, the day and after the release every time. As an actor, the most important thing in our lives is to get feedback from the audience and Friday is the biggest day for knowing whether the hard work that you have put in has borne fruit. If it is not appreciated, what did they not like? That’s when you grow as an actor in this field. So, Fridays are very important. The day you stop feeling jittery about Fridays means you are finished as an actor. If it doesn’t move you, that means you don’t value the audience’s feedback.
So many of your films are already listed in the best of Bollywood zone, yet when it comes to your own high as an actor, it might differ from that of the audience, so do tell us which of your films made you happy?
In my case, I have always been happy because I never set out to be an actor. When you are setting out to be an actor from childhood or if that’s been your passion, you have probably already tried to put two and two together and built your career a certain way in your head. With me, it happened the other way round! I never
had any plans. Everything just fell in place for me. Probably, it was universally destined for me to be an actor and I became one. So, I never had feelings about, ‘Oh, I should or shouldn’t have done this.’ ‘Whatever I got, I felt very grateful and very humbled with the love that I got from the audience.
After all these years, does it get tough to reinvent yourself with each of your films?
It is imperative that you find your work tough! The day you don’t feel a role challenging you, you won’t be interested doing films! If nothing challenges you, you should retire!
