It is important to stand by strong films & strong roles: Rani Mukerji

Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; November 28, 2023)

Rani Mukerji isn’t big on Bollywood romance movies that do not talk about a woman’s wants and choices, and says that in that aspect, films like Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna or Hum Tum were way ahead of their time.

While Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was not that big a hit at the time, it raised uncomfortable questions, says Rani. “I think it is important to always stand by strong films and strong roles. Sometimes, you may not get the (right) audience, but in the history of Indian cinema, it will always be remembered as a film that was ahead of its time,” she said during a discussion about her characters.

‘I WORK HARD TO MAKE MY CHARACTERS REAL’
“I work hard towards making my characters real – in terms of how they walk, how they talk – because I firmly believe that body language makes a huge difference in terms of how you perceive a particular person. Fifty per cent of an actor’s battle to make the character believable lies in the appearance. If you look the character visually, half the battle is won, and the other half is what you need to perform. I can be Tina (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) and also be Alisha (from Ghulam), and I can also be Michelle (from Black).”

‘IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT A WOMAN’S WANTS AND HER CHOICES’
It is very important to talk about a woman’s wants and her choices. Just because the husband doesn’t beat you, it does not mean that you are in love with him. I think people give less importance to a woman being in love. What is important for a lot of people and their families is – is the man settled? Is he from a good family? But physical chemistry is not given too much importance. It’s like a man can choose that, but a woman is never allowed to or asked, ‘Are you attracted to this man?’ ‘Would you like to marry him?’

A lot of people were watching the film in extreme discomfort because nobody wants to face their own reality. That is the feedback Karan (Johar) received for his film. It opened the eyes of a lot of people, and they took the decision of being happy. The film was very different from what we are taught – that you have to compromise and adjust, and of course we have to, but there should (also) be love in the relationship. Because even in a relationship of love, there will be compromises, marriage as it is very demanding; and if you are in a marriage that is loveless then it becomes even more difficult.

‘IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT AND HOW A CHARACTER THINKS OR FEELS’
For Naina (from Hichki), I had to meet a lot of people who had Tourette syndrome. I also did an interview with Brad Cohen, who was the inspiration behind Hichki. To play a character, it is also important to know what and how that person thinks or feels emotionally. At the end of the day, we are portraying emotions that touch the audience. What distinguishes a scene is the emotion that comes from behind the scene. When a writer writes a scene, he is actually writing what a character is going through, and for me, it is very important to portray those emotions.

‘NO ACTOR SHOULD BE JUDGED ON THE BASIS OF AGE’
The audience has kept me going for the last 27 years, and I hope they keep me going for the next 27… My audience has helped me break the age barrier and I promise my audience that I will act till I’m 80. No actor should be judged on the basis of their age. I think it is only because our cinema is known as popular cinema, and you want to see young people all the time. The trick is also to accept that you are not always going to look young.

‘BLACK TRANSFORMED ME AS A HUMAN’
(Black made me realize) that there is nothing impossible, but we condition ourselves to believe that there are things we cannot do. Our attitude in life should be that we have to make this possible. And that’s what Black did for me; it transformed me as a human. Sanjay Leela Bhansali makes it a point to bring out the best in you and transports the audience.
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Monika Rawal Kukreja (HINDUSTAN TIMES; November 28, 2023)

With a diverse body of work, Rani Mukerji has impressed audiences each time she has come on the big screen. Perhaps the only female actor in Bollywood to have a franchise (Mardaani) that she carries on her shoulders, Mukerji has also essayed characters across age groups. At the 54th International Film Festival of India, during the masterclass Delivering Compelling Performances, she spoke about the debate around ageism in the film industry.

“[In our cinema], you want to see young people on screen all the time because that’s what probably compels the youth to watch films. But it’s also important to not be delusional and believe that you are always going to be young,” she said, adding, “You can be young at heart (comma) but to accept your age and the roles that suit your age is also important for the audience to accept you in a character.”

Since making her debut 27 years ago with Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat, Mukerji has been able to stay relevant and, at the same time, experiment with characters that aren’t necessarily her age. “That’s how my audience has loved and accepted me over the years. In fact, they have helped me break this ageism barrier. I promise them that I’ll work till I’m 80,” she said.

Mukerji, who played a mother of two in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway earlier this year, continued, “In my third film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), I played a mum and did it throughout my 20s. I’ve consciously tried to not give importance to the age of the character and instead do justice to the role, so that the audience doesn’t think of Rani Mukerji but believes in that character.” Stressing on believability for every part one takes up, she added, “If I’ve to play a college student today, I would first tell the audience that I’m a mother, and at the age of 40, have decided to go back to college.”

Mukerji also played a 60-year-old in a sequence in Hichki (2018). “It was a challenge that an actor took up to look older. But when an actor takes the challenge to look younger, it’s ridiculed because you don’t want them to try and tell the audience that they’re young. So, it’s important to accept who you are, what you are and look after yourself,” she wrapped up.