Post by Runa on Jun 9, 2007 17:17:50 GMT -5
Rani reigns
By Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Staff Reporter
The success of Ta Ra Rum Pum has added yet another feather to Rani Mukherjee's cap. She's already proved her versatility with roles ranging from the the happy-go-lucky Khandala girl in Ghulam to the complex, deglamorised depiction of the blind girl in Black.
Success in Bollywood is elusive but with six Filmfare Awards in a row and numerous other honours heaped on her, the 28-year-old Rani is the most bankable star in Bollywood staking her claim to be the No 1 heroine.
I met her during an outdoor shoot for her forthcoming film under the Yash Raj banner, Laga Chunari Mein Daag, which is being directed by Pradeep Sarkar.
Rani was completely at home in both her offscreen and onscreen personas, putting everyone else at ease as she laughed and joked with the unit, sharing a home-made meal with everyone else under a scorching sun and effortlessly getting under the skin of the role she was portraying when the camera was ready to roll.
She took time off to chat about her career, her aspirations and her place in the film industry.
Excerpts:
Your father Ram Mukherjee was a director and founder of Filmalaya Studios, your mother Krishna a playback singer, your aunt Debashree Roy a Bengali actress and your cousin Kajol an acclaimed Bollywood actress… would you say acting is something that is inborn? A genetic predisposition?
A career in films comes from both my paternal and maternal side. They provided me with the right ethos and a ready ground to walk on. But I'd like to say that acting is not a career that can be there as a matter of getting the right genes. It's not like saying a jeweller's son or daughter will be a jeweller; it is an inborn skill that can be realised only through practical experience. You have to work really hard to be an actor and cannot rest on your hereditary laurels.
I would say acting is both a science and an art as the method and manner in which you assay a role has to be studied and rehearsed, but your own understanding and interpretation is something quite abstract and intangible.
You have walked away with the most coveted awards and seem to be the undisputed No 1 contender. What does success mean to you?
In the film industry, success is transitory. You are judged only by how your last movie did. No one will ever call you a success if you had two hits and then three flops in a row. For me, success is basically the kind of movies I do and who I work with.
I think my job is to work professionally and put my heart and soul into a role. The rest will follow. I do not fret too much about success.
Black, you've often said, was a turning point in your career? How did it influence you?
Black has been the strongest learning experience of my life, both personally and professionally. I found the visually challenged people so strong, so resilient, so determined, courageous and, above all, so spirited about facing life. It was an amazing experience to meet people with such strong willpower.
For these people every single day is a battle and it made me realise how wrong we are to crib about the smallest things in life, when we have so much.
I thank Sanjay Leela Bhansali, my director, for introducing me to this world and being my guide every step of the film. He taught me sign language, he directed me, told me how to walk, how to laugh… it was an emotional journey and helped me grow as an actor.
Ta Ra Rum Pum has come after a long interval since Kabi Alvida Na Kehna( KANK). Was this deliberate?
No, it wasn't deliberate. I was working, but there weren't too many releases. I did Babul and now Ta Ra Rum Pum. The next one is Laga Chunari Mein Dag and I'm working on Sawariya. I think these movies are paced out beautifully and have ample gap to allow the audience to savour each slowly.
How does love and marriage figure in your plans?
As of now, these just don't stand a chance. I'm concentrating on my work and they probably come at the bottom of my priority list. I think love and subsequent marriage are spontaneous issues. If it has to happen, it will; I can't really plan that and set a deadline. I guess it will just happen one day.
What is your message to your fans in Dubai?
I would like to say: Thank you very much for your love and encouragement. It is because of your blessings that I am able to work hard each day as I am inspired and know I cannot let any of my fans down. I hope I can continue to bring a smile to their faces as long as I work.
Rani's trail of achievements:
Best Supporting Actress: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1999)
Best Actress (critics): Saathiya (2003)
Best Supporting Actress: Yuva (2005)
Best Actress: Hum Tum (2005)
Best Actress: Black (2006)
Best Actress (critics): Black (2006)
Most Memorable Role: Bunty Aur Babli and Black
Most challenging role: Black
The toughest director to work with: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Your favourite co-actor: Shah Rukh Khan
The co-actor you would really like to work with: Aamir Khan. I worked with him in Ghulam and would really love to do another film with him now.
The director you would love to work with: Mira Nair
Your greatest critic: My family
Your greatest fan: My niece Maisha
By Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary, Staff Reporter
The success of Ta Ra Rum Pum has added yet another feather to Rani Mukherjee's cap. She's already proved her versatility with roles ranging from the the happy-go-lucky Khandala girl in Ghulam to the complex, deglamorised depiction of the blind girl in Black.
Success in Bollywood is elusive but with six Filmfare Awards in a row and numerous other honours heaped on her, the 28-year-old Rani is the most bankable star in Bollywood staking her claim to be the No 1 heroine.
I met her during an outdoor shoot for her forthcoming film under the Yash Raj banner, Laga Chunari Mein Daag, which is being directed by Pradeep Sarkar.
Rani was completely at home in both her offscreen and onscreen personas, putting everyone else at ease as she laughed and joked with the unit, sharing a home-made meal with everyone else under a scorching sun and effortlessly getting under the skin of the role she was portraying when the camera was ready to roll.
She took time off to chat about her career, her aspirations and her place in the film industry.
Excerpts:
Your father Ram Mukherjee was a director and founder of Filmalaya Studios, your mother Krishna a playback singer, your aunt Debashree Roy a Bengali actress and your cousin Kajol an acclaimed Bollywood actress… would you say acting is something that is inborn? A genetic predisposition?
A career in films comes from both my paternal and maternal side. They provided me with the right ethos and a ready ground to walk on. But I'd like to say that acting is not a career that can be there as a matter of getting the right genes. It's not like saying a jeweller's son or daughter will be a jeweller; it is an inborn skill that can be realised only through practical experience. You have to work really hard to be an actor and cannot rest on your hereditary laurels.
I would say acting is both a science and an art as the method and manner in which you assay a role has to be studied and rehearsed, but your own understanding and interpretation is something quite abstract and intangible.
You have walked away with the most coveted awards and seem to be the undisputed No 1 contender. What does success mean to you?
In the film industry, success is transitory. You are judged only by how your last movie did. No one will ever call you a success if you had two hits and then three flops in a row. For me, success is basically the kind of movies I do and who I work with.
I think my job is to work professionally and put my heart and soul into a role. The rest will follow. I do not fret too much about success.
Black, you've often said, was a turning point in your career? How did it influence you?
Black has been the strongest learning experience of my life, both personally and professionally. I found the visually challenged people so strong, so resilient, so determined, courageous and, above all, so spirited about facing life. It was an amazing experience to meet people with such strong willpower.
For these people every single day is a battle and it made me realise how wrong we are to crib about the smallest things in life, when we have so much.
I thank Sanjay Leela Bhansali, my director, for introducing me to this world and being my guide every step of the film. He taught me sign language, he directed me, told me how to walk, how to laugh… it was an emotional journey and helped me grow as an actor.
Ta Ra Rum Pum has come after a long interval since Kabi Alvida Na Kehna( KANK). Was this deliberate?
No, it wasn't deliberate. I was working, but there weren't too many releases. I did Babul and now Ta Ra Rum Pum. The next one is Laga Chunari Mein Dag and I'm working on Sawariya. I think these movies are paced out beautifully and have ample gap to allow the audience to savour each slowly.
How does love and marriage figure in your plans?
As of now, these just don't stand a chance. I'm concentrating on my work and they probably come at the bottom of my priority list. I think love and subsequent marriage are spontaneous issues. If it has to happen, it will; I can't really plan that and set a deadline. I guess it will just happen one day.
What is your message to your fans in Dubai?
I would like to say: Thank you very much for your love and encouragement. It is because of your blessings that I am able to work hard each day as I am inspired and know I cannot let any of my fans down. I hope I can continue to bring a smile to their faces as long as I work.
Rani's trail of achievements:
Best Supporting Actress: Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1999)
Best Actress (critics): Saathiya (2003)
Best Supporting Actress: Yuva (2005)
Best Actress: Hum Tum (2005)
Best Actress: Black (2006)
Best Actress (critics): Black (2006)
Most Memorable Role: Bunty Aur Babli and Black
Most challenging role: Black
The toughest director to work with: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Your favourite co-actor: Shah Rukh Khan
The co-actor you would really like to work with: Aamir Khan. I worked with him in Ghulam and would really love to do another film with him now.
The director you would love to work with: Mira Nair
Your greatest critic: My family
Your greatest fan: My niece Maisha
