Rani Mukerji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rani Mukerji
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Mukerji promoting Hichki in 2018
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| Born | 21 March 1978 Bombay, Maharashtra, India
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| Alma mater | SNDT Women's University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1996–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 1 |
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| Family | Mukherjee family Chopra family |
| Awards | Full list |
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Rani Mukerji (born on March 21, 1978) is a famous Indian actress. She is known for her amazing acting in Hindi films. Rani has won many awards, including eight Filmfare Awards, which are like the Oscars for Indian movies. In the 2000s, she was one of the top and highest-paid actresses.
Rani Mukerji comes from a family deeply involved in films, the Mukherjee-Samarth family. She started acting as a teenager in her father's film Biyer Phool and in Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat (both in 1996). She became very popular with the action film Ghulam and the romantic movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (both in 1998).
After a short break, 2002 was a big year for her when she starred in the drama Saathiya. Rani became a leading actress by appearing in many successful romantic films. These include Chalte Chalte (2003), Hum Tum, Veer-Zaara (both 2004), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). She also starred in the fun crime movie Bunty Aur Babli (2005).
Rani also earned praise for playing a wife facing difficulties in the drama Yuva (2004). She played a deaf and blind woman in the powerful film Black (2005). Later, she found more success in thrillers like No One Killed Jessica (2011), Talaash (2012), Mardaani (2014), and Mardaani 2 (2019). Her comedy-drama Hichki (2018) became her biggest hit. More recently, she starred in the drama Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023).
Besides acting, Rani Mukerji cares a lot about helping people. She speaks up for women and children. She has also performed in concerts and judged a reality show called Dance Premier League. Rani is married to filmmaker Aditya Chopra, and they have a daughter.
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Early Life and Family Background
Rani Mukerji was born in Bombay (now called Mumbai) on March 21, 1978. Her father, Ram Mukherjee, was a film director and helped start Filmalaya Studios. Her mother, Krishna Mukherjee, used to be a singer. Rani's older brother, Raja Mukherjee, is a film producer and director.
Many of Rani's relatives are also in the film industry. Her aunt, Debashree Roy, is a Bengali actress. Her cousin, Kajol, is a famous Hindi film actress. Another cousin, Ayan Mukerji, is a scriptwriter and director. Even with so many family members in movies, Rani wasn't very interested in acting at first. She once said there were "too many actresses at home."
Rani went to Maneckji Cooper High School and studied Home Science at SNDT Women's University. She also learned Odissi dance, a classical Indian dance style, starting in tenth grade. Her family celebrates the Durga Puja festival every year in Mumbai, and Rani, who is Hindu, takes part in the celebrations.
In 1994, director Salim Khan offered Rani a main role in his film Aa Gale Lag Jaa. But her father didn't want her to start a full-time film career so young, so she said no. At 18, her mother suggested she try acting just to see how it felt. So, Rani took on roles in Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat and her father's Bengali film Biyer Phool. Both movies came out on the same day in October 1996. Before filming Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat, Rani trained at an acting school. Even though Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat didn't do well, Rani's acting was noticed, and she received a special award. After this, she went back to college. But seeing her cousin Kajol's success, Rani decided to pursue acting full-time.
Rani's Film Career
Early Success and Challenges (1998–2001)
In 1998, Rani Mukerji starred with Aamir Khan in the action film Ghulam. This was her first big commercial hit. Even though her role was small, the song "Aati Kya Khandala" made her widely known.
Later that year, Karan Johar chose her for his first movie as a director, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Rani played Tina, a character who falls in love with Shah Rukh Khan's character and later becomes his wife. Critics loved her performance, saying she "steals the show." Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was a huge success, becoming the highest-earning Hindi film of the year. Rani won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role.
After this, she appeared in Mehndi (1998) and Hello Brother (1999). These films were not as successful.
By 2000, Rani wanted to try different kinds of roles, not just the typical glamorous ones. She played supporting roles in action films like Badal and Bichhoo. Her role in Kamal Haasan's film Hey Ram was more challenging. In this movie, she had to act without makeup, which was new for her. She felt this experience changed how she approached acting. Hey Ram was praised by critics and was even chosen as India's official entry for the Oscars.
Rani then starred in romantic comedies like Hadh Kar Di Aapne and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. She also appeared with Salman Khan and Preity Zinta in Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, which earned her a Filmfare nomination.
In 2001, Rani's film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was released after some delays due to funding issues. The movie was about surrogacy. Critics felt her role didn't give her much chance to show her acting skills. Her other films that year, Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai and Nayak: The Real Hero, also didn't do very well. Many of her roles after Kuch Kuch Hota Hai were not very important.
Becoming a Top Actress (2002–2006)
In 2002, Rani started working with Yash Raj Films. She starred in Mujhse Dosti Karoge! and Saathiya. While Mujhse Dosti Karoge! didn't do well, Saathiya was a turning point for her career. She played Suhani Sharma, a medical student dealing with the challenges of being married young. Rani was nominated for her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress and won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. Saathiya was a commercial success. Critics praised her natural acting in the film.
The year 2003 was the start of Rani's most successful period. She starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Chalte Chalte. This movie was about misunderstandings between a married couple. Rani said working with Shah Rukh Khan taught her a lot. The film was a commercial success and helped her career. She received another Best Actress nomination.
At the 50th Filmfare Awards, Rani made history by winning both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards in the same year! She won Best Supporting Actress for Yuva (2004), a film about three young people whose lives cross paths. She won Best Actress for Hum Tum (2004), a romantic comedy with Saif Ali Khan. This film was one of the biggest hits of the year. Critics praised her ability to change into different parts of her character easily.
Her success continued with Yash Chopra's romantic drama Veer-Zaara (2004). This film was about two lovers from India and Pakistan. Rani played a Pakistani lawyer who helps the couple. Veer-Zaara was the highest-earning Hindi film of the year and was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival. Rani's quiet but strong performance was highly praised. She won the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 2005, Rani was considered one of the most successful actresses in Hindi cinema. Her first film that year was Black, where she starred with Amitabh Bachchan. It was a drama about a man who teaches a blind and deaf girl to communicate. The director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, wrote the role specifically for Rani. She learned sign language for the part. Black won many awards, and Rani's acting was called "astonishing." She became the only actress to win both the Best Actress and Best Actress – Critics awards at Filmfare for the same film.
Rani also received another Best Actress nomination for Bunty Aur Babli, where she played a con woman. The film was the second highest-earning Hindi film of 2005. She then appeared in the fantasy film Paheli with Shah Rukh Khan. Even though it didn't do well in India, it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. Rani's last film of 2005 was Mangal Pandey: The Rising, where she played the love interest of the main character.
In 2006, Rani chose to work with Karan Johar again in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. This role earned her a third IIFA Award for Best Actress. Her last film that year was Baabul.
Challenges in Her Career (2007–2009)
After Baabul, Rani starred in Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007), playing a racing driver's wife and a mother. She was excited to play a mother for the first time. The film was a financial success, but critics had mixed feelings. Her next film, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, also didn't do well, even though she received another Best Actress nomination.
Rani also appeared in Bhansali's Saawariya, which was the first Indian film produced by a Hollywood studio. However, the film was not successful. By the end of 2007, Rani's popularity started to decrease. Some felt she was working too much with the same actors and production house.
Looking for a lighter role, Rani starred in Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (2008), a children's film about an angel. This film also didn't do well at the box office, which further affected her career. To try and bounce back, Rani lost weight and changed her look. She then starred in Dil Bole Hadippa! (2009), where she played a cricket-loving village girl pretending to be a man. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival but was her fourth financial failure in a row. Later that year, she was a judge on the reality show Dance Premier League to gain more visibility.
Success in Thrillers and Hichki (2010–2019)
In 2011, Rani Mukerji's performance in No One Killed Jessica was called "one of her best." This film was her first commercial success in a while, and it was special because it succeeded without a male lead star. Based on a real-life murder case, Rani played a strong journalist involved in the case. She said the role was very different from her previous ones. She won a third Best Supporting Actress award for this role.
Rani then starred in the comedy Aiyyaa (2012), which was not very successful. However, she found greater success playing Roshni Shekhawat, a mother dealing with the death of her child, in the thriller Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. The film, also starring Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor, was one of the highest-earning Hindi films of the year. Critics praised Rani's "quietly sympathetic role," and she received another Best Supporting Actress nomination.
In 2013, Rani was part of Bombay Talkies, a film made of four short stories. In her segment, she played a journalist who discovers her husband is gay. The film was shown at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2014, Rani starred in the action thriller Mardaani, where she played a tough police officer named Shivani Shivaji Roy. She took on the role to show girls how to protect themselves. For the role, she met with police officers and learned a self-defense technique called Krav Maga. Critics praised Rani for making her character strong and brave. The film was a commercial success, and she received another Best Actress nomination.
After having her daughter, Rani took a four-year break from acting. Her husband, Aditya Chopra, encouraged her to return. She found a perfect project in the comedy-drama Hichki (2018). The film is about Naina Mathur, a teacher with Tourette syndrome who teaches underprivileged children. Rani met with the real person the story was based on and practiced her character's movements and sounds. Critics said she brought a lot of empathy and charm to the role. Hichki earned a lot of money worldwide, especially from China. This success made Rani want to work more often. She received another Best Actress nomination for this film.
Rani played Shivani Shivaji Roy again in Mardaani 2 (2019). Mardaani 2 also did well at the box office and earned her another Best Actress nomination. The success of these films showed that actresses can still have great careers after marriage and having children.
Recent Work (2020–Present)
In 2021, Rani Mukerji returned as her character Babli in Bunty Aur Babli 2. The film didn't do well, but Rani's acting and comedic timing were still praised.
Rani then starred in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), a drama based on a true story about a Bengali woman whose children were taken away by child welfare services in Norway. For this role, she based her character's speech and actions on her own mother. Even though some critics found the film too dramatic, it became a surprise hit. Rani won another Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for her performance.
Rani Mukerji is expected to star in a new family drama and will also appear in Mardaani 3.
Personal Life
Rani Mukerji likes to keep her personal life private. She doesn't interact much with the media, which has sometimes led people to call her a "recluse." However, she said in 2011 that she has changed and is more approachable now. She is good friends with actors Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, and filmmaker Karan Johar. Rani does not use social media because she prefers to keep a low profile.
For a long time, there were many rumors about Rani's relationship with filmmaker Aditya Chopra. She never spoke about it publicly. On April 21, 2014, Rani married Aditya Chopra in a private ceremony in Italy. The next year, in 2015, they had a daughter named Adira. Rani has said that being a mother is the happiest time of her life. She believes it's important for mothers to have a career and use their time productively. In 2023, she shared that she had a miscarriage in 2020.
Off-Screen Activities
Stage Shows and Appearances
Rani Mukerji has taken part in many concert tours and award shows. Her first concert tour was in 1999, called "Magnificent Five," where she performed with other actors. She also performed in the "Temptations 2004" and "Temptations 2005" concerts, which raised money for charity.
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In 2010, Rani performed at a concert in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with other Bollywood stars. She also performed in "Temptations Reloaded" concerts in Jakarta (2012), Auckland (2013), and Malaysia (2014).
Rani has also been a muse for fashion designers, walking the ramp at events like Lakme Fashion Week. In 2010, she walked for Salman Khan's Being Human charity fashion show.
Helping Others
Rani Mukerji is very involved in helping people and speaks out about issues affecting women and children. She was chosen as an ambassador for "Shiksha," a program by Procter & Gamble and Child Rights and You (CRY) to support children's education. In 2011, she started a fund to help stroke patients who can't afford treatment.
She has made public appearances to support other charities. In 2004 and 2014, she visited Indian army soldiers in Rajasthan and Baramulla. In 2005, she joined other Bollywood actors in a telethon to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.
In 2006, Rani celebrated her birthday with physically challenged children from the Helen Keller Institute, whom she had worked with for her film Black. In 2010, she helped raise money for the "Because I am a Girl" charity campaign.
Rani also attended a charity cricket match in 2012. She appeared as a celebrity guest on the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (both Hindi and Bengali versions) and donated her prize money to social causes, including a hospital's NICU center. In 2012, PETA India gave Rani a "Hero to Animals Award" for her kind work for animals.
Her Acting Style
Rani Mukerji is seen as one of the most popular and talented actresses in Indian cinema. She had some ups and downs early in her career but then became a big star. When she first started, some people thought she was "plump" and "short" compared to her successful cousin Kajol. But Rani worked hard and became a successful star on her own.
Rani's directors have noted how much she prepares for her roles. She gets very focused and wants to know everything about her character, including their background and thoughts.
Rani tries to avoid playing the same type of role repeatedly. She is known for her versatility, meaning she can play many different kinds of characters. She balances big blockbuster movies with smaller, more meaningful films. She is brave enough to take on roles that other actresses might not. Rani is also known for her unique "husky" voice, her expressive eyes, and her smile. Filmfare magazine described her as "Earthy, effervescent and emotional," adding that her presence on screen is unmatched.
Forbes India said that Rani is one of the best actors of her generation. She can easily understand her characters and become that person on screen. She is seen as a strong, independent woman who made it on her own terms. When she returned to acting with Hichki, many compared her to actress Sridevi, saying she proved she is still very important in the industry.
Rani Mukerji was the first and only Indian actress to win both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Filmfare awards in the same year. She also achieved another first by winning both the Best Actress - Critics and Best Actress awards for the same film in the same year.
Awards and Recognitions
Rani Mukerji has won eight Filmfare Awards.
- For her roles in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Yuva (2004), and No One Killed Jessica (2011), she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
- She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Hum Tum (2004) and Black (2005).
- She won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for Saathiya (2002), Black (2005), and Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023).
Images for kids
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Rani Mukerji at the audio release of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke in 2001.jpg
Rani Mukerji at an event in 2001
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Rani Mukerji at an event in 2003
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Rani Mukerji at an awards ceremony in 2005
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Rani Mukerji at a promotional event in 2009
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Rani Mukerji at an event in 2012
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Rani Mukerji promoting Mardaani 2 in 2019
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Rani Mukerji at an event in 2015
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Rani Mukerji in 2009
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See also
In Spanish: Rani Mukerji para niños
- List of Indian film actresses
- List of Bengali actresses
- List of Bollywood Clans: The Mukherjees
