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Rani
Mukherjee
Date of Birth 21 March 1978, Bengal, India
Height 5' 3" (1.60 m)
Mukerji comes from a film-oriented family of Bengali
origin. Her father Ram Mukherjee is a retired director and
one of the founders of 'Filmalaya Studios'. Her mother
Krishna was a playback singer. Her brother Raja Mukherjee
is a film producer, now turned director. Her maternal
aunt, Debashree Roy, was a Bengali-film actress and her
cousin Kajol is a Bollywood actress.
Mukerji is a trained Odissi dancer, and began learning the
dance in tenth grade. Mukerji studied at Maneckjee Cooper
High School in Juhu, and later enrolled at Mithibai
College in Mumbai.
While in school at the age of 14, Mukerji did a cameo role
in her father's Bengali film Biyar Phool (1992). In 1994,
Salim Akhtar, a family friend, offered her a film called
Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1994) but her father was against it as
she was too young. Mukerji turned down the offer and
Urmila Matondkar was cast instead.
Two years later, Salim Akhtar came up with another offer
and insisted on her playing the protagonist of Raja Ki
Ayegi Baraat (1997). After a long discussion with her
father, she agreed to do the film. When the film was
unsuccessful at the box office, Mukerji returned to
college to complete her education.
Trade Mark Husky voice
Queen of Bollywood
Got her first breakthrough with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998).
Cousin of Kajol, Sharbani Mukherji, Mohnish Bahl and
Tanisha. Niece of Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee.
Indian model.
Daughter of director Ram Mukherjee.
Favorite comic: Archie and Donald Duck
Favorite outfit: Anything comfortable
Favorite hobby: Dancing
Favorite food: Fish made by her mom.
Favorite gift: Diamond ring her dad gave her.
Her favorite film is 'Titanic' along with that her
favorite song is 'My Heart Will Go On' from 'Titanic'.
Favorite Perfume: Polo Sport
Her beauty secret is that she soaks herself with
moisturizer. Rani who lost all the extra flab with "a
balanced diet and junking sweets", lives on "home-cooked
food - dal, roti, salad and soup." Fastfood and colas are
a no-no, instead it's "nariyal pani, nimbu pani, jal jeera
and water."
Won best actress for 'Hum Tum' in the 50th Filmfare,
Screen, Cinegoers, Sports World, 1st GIFA, and Zee Cine
awards (2004).
Won best supporting actress for 'Yuva' in the 50th
Filmfare, Screen, Cinegoers, and Sports World awards
(2004).
Won Sports World and South Africa Awards in the 'Best
Supporting Actress' category for Veer-Zaara (2004).
Won Sports World Jodi of the Year with Saif Ali Khan
(2004).
Only actress on Filmfare power list (2004).
Considered the # 1 actress according to Taran, Adarsh,
Filmfare, Rediff, and Komal Nahta.
Won a Filmfare award for best supporting actress for 'Kuch
Kuch Hota Hai.' Directors then started taking her
seriously, and then she signed up to do 22 films.
She changed the English transliteration of her surname
from Mukherjee to Mukerji several years ago. At the time,
it was reported that she did this for numerological
reasons. Recently, she has claimed that numerology was not
a concern; her name had been put down as Mukerji on her
passport, and she wished to harmonize her name and her
passport.
She is the first actor to ever win both the Best Actress
and Best Supporting Actress trophies in a single year
(2005) at the Filmfare.
Two movies in which she appeared have been India's entry
to the Academy Awards. Paheli (2005) was the official
entry for the 2006 Oscars. Hey Ram (2000) was an earlier
entry.
Appeared at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing
Indian culture, on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games,
to be held in New Delhi.
Besides acting in films, she also does many charity
appearances for noble causes. Her most noteworthy show was
Temptations 2005 where she performed in New Delhi. The
event provided the opportunity to raise funds for National
Centre For Promotional of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP),
a leading disabled rights group. Shahrukh Khan and
Priyanka Chopra were also amongst the many who contributed
to this cause.
In 2006, she celebrated her birthday in a different style
with the students of The Helen Keller Institute for the
Deaf and Blind. She befriended the members of this
Institute, when she was enacting her role of a blind and
deaf girl in the movie Black (2005). She thanked the
students of the institute claiming she would not have been
able to enact her performance in Black (2005) without
them.
In 2005, she worked with the biggest production houses and
banners: Black, Bunty aur Babli and The Rising. These
three movies were amongst the top ten grosser of the year.
Paheli, while only moderately successful, was India's
official entry to the 2006 Oscars.
In February 2005, she was the only woman on the listing of
"Ten Most Powerful Names of Bollywood". Filmfare Magazine
incorporated her into the Power List at # 10. She was
ranked at # 8 the following year, a number ahead of
Aishwarya Rai. In February 2007, she was placed at #5 on
the prestigious Power List, configuring the highest
ranking for a woman. Rani has also been ranked # 1 in the
Filmfare Top Ten Actresses' Listing for three years in a
row (2004-2006).
She has won well over 60 awards to date.
Listed # 1 on Rediff's 'Top Bollywood Female Stars'
Rankings for three consecutive years (2004-2006).
Was honored by an audience of 50,000 at the Casablanca
Film Festival (2005) in Morocco where her selected four
movies were presented to the foreign masses of people.
Her film, Paheli (2005) got the honor to open the ninth
Zimbabwe International Film Festival in Harare a year
later.
In 2006, the actress bought a new house for herself in
Juhu. The interiors were done by Twinkle Khanna and it
took an entire year to get ready.
Black (2005), Paheli (2005), and Veer-Zaara (2004) were
all part of the final process of nomination selection for
the 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards amongst 60 foreign
films in 2006.
Appeared at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing
Indian culture, on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games,
to be held in Delhi.
Listed # 36 by UK magazine 'Eastern Eye' as one of "Asia's
Sexiest Women" (Sept/2006).
Rani Mukerji have been the only member from the film
industry to have been invited to the dinner in Honor of
President Musharraf.
She was invited to the Toronto International Film Festival
to promote her movie Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. Due to her
schedule shooting of Tara Rum Pum in New York City, she
opt not to go.
In early 2007, the actress performed an act with Saif Ali
Khan in Versailles for Lakshmi Mittal's guests at his
daughter's £30 million/$65 million wedding.
Mukerji was offered the lead role in Hollywood film, The
Namesake (2006) but owing to clashing dates with Kabhi
Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), she couldn't commit to Mira
Nair's project.
In November 2006, Mukerji was shooting a film in Varanasi
when avid fans crowded the set. Security personnel beat
the crowd back with sticks. A media storm followed as
various groups insisted that Mukerji should have stopped
the security guards. The actress later issued an apology.
The actress donated her prize money, her half-share of
half-a-million rupees from her 2007 appearance on "Kaun
Banega Crorepati?" (2000) with Preity Zinta, to the Holy
Family Hospital. She said that this institution looks
after children with heart problems which is a major
setback in India.
Her saris in Baabul (2006) became a fashion trend in
India. Later in 2007, one of Mukerji's saris from the
movie, designed by Sabyasachi Mukherji, was auctioned off
at a charity dinner. The proceeds went towards a home for
girls who live on the Howrah platforms.
In February 2005, Mukerji performed at the HELP! Telethon
Concert to help raise money for the victims of Tsunami in
company with other Bollywood stars.
As of 2006, she is a six-time Filmfare Award-winning
Indian film actress, the most wins by an actress tying
with Nutan Behl.
Besides acting in films, Mukerji has associated herself
with several other commercial and non-profit
organizations. In March 2004, Mukerji visited the sandy
dunes of Rajasthan to boost the morales of the soldiers.
It was for a show where entertainers and stars visit
Indian troops in far-flung regions to encourage them along
with the NDTV team.
She has been featured in the list of Rediff's "Best
Dressed Actresses" several times.
Rani Mukerji was listed on the coveted Rediff's 'Bollywood's
Most Beautiful Actresses' Listing along with Sonali Bendre
and Aishwarya Rai.
For her three minutes dance act at the Closing Ceremony of
the 2006 Commonwealth Games, alongside Saif Ali Khan, she
was reportedly paid 1.5 million rupees.
On Women's International Day 2007, a special article was
released to pay tribute to Bollywood Heroines. Rani
Mukerji came in the fourth position on the "All-Time Best
Bollywood Actresses Ever" Listing after Madhuri Dixit,
Madhubala and Nargis.
She performed in the "Temptations 2004" concert alongside
Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal, Preity Zinta,
and Priyanka Chopra in nineteen stage shows across the
globe. It was the most successful Bollywood concert in its
time and it broke all records.
The actress has been an active stage performer and has
participated in numerous world tours. Her first world tour
was in the year 1999 with Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai,
Akshaye Khanna and Twinkle Khanna. It was called the
"Magnificent Five". The show was widely watched in every
city where it was showcased.
As of 2006, her total box office impact is worth well over
Rs. 5 billion.
Personal Quotes
"The kiss with Kamal Haasan (in Hey! Ram) was mechanical.
He was constantly checking the right angle. Where was the
passion?"
"I don't party, I don't get drunk and I don't have
affairs. So all my passion goes into my work."
"Kamal Hassan re-invented the actress in me after the 'Hey
Ram' experience."
"When Karan wanted my voice to be dubbed for 'Kuch Kuch
Hota Hai', I really thought that it was bad and very husky
and rough, but slowly I worked to improve my diction, and
am now quite comfortable with it."
"You sign two films with a hero and it's said you're
having a scene with him. Please, the only scenes I'm into
are in front of the camera."
"Why should I try to imitate Kajol? I am not a mimicry
artist."
"It's frustrating for the media to see me going about my
work like Florence Nightingale - They'd like me to be
Rangeeli Rani."
"I'd never trade my dad's house, even for Buckingham
Palace. I'm very sentimental about living with my
parents."
"I'd rather have a room full of cuddly teddy bears than a
diamond necklace in a safe deposit locker."
On her character in The Rising (2005): "See, my role
started as a cameo. I was supposed to play the widow
Jwala's character - yes, the one Aishwarya Rai was
supposed to have done. Now Amisha Patel is doing that.
When I read the script, I fell in love with the small role
of the prostitute. There were two or three very good
scenes. The script underwent a change, and I got more
space than before. But it's still a cameo - nothing like
what Smita Patil did with Ketan Mehta in Mirch Masala,
though I wish had."
I can never be rude to people who want photographs and
autographs, but I don't like to be followed and stared at
constantly.
My schedule for the day is somewhat fixed. I wake up
early; go for my work-out. Play with the baby for a while,
get ready and then I am off for my shoots. After work, I
come home directly, play with her as long as she is awake.
Then I have my dinner and hit the bed. That's it. My life
revolves around my shooting schedules and Myeisha's daily
routines.
Salary
Baabul (2006) 4 Crore per movie |
