Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji turned 36 years today.
Born to the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she made her acting debut with a supporting role in the Bengali film BIYER PHOOL in 1992, while she was still in school.
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She began a full-time career in Bollywood with the 1997 social drama RAJA KI AAYEGI BARAAT, and subsequently featured in Karan Johar’s blockbuster romance KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI (1998) starring Shah Rukh Khan. Her performance in KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI won her a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
She also tasted commercial success with her film GHULAM where Mukerji was cast opposite Aamir Khan, as the female lead. For her work in the 2002 relationship drama SAATHIYA, she won her first Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.
Having worked with all four Khans of Bollywood- Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan, Rani boasts of learning the craft from each of them.
In fact, delivering a matured on-screen character, Rani has also provided the ease and comfort to her co-stars while working on films.
In 2004, her performances in the hit romantic comedy HUM TUM and the critically acclaimed drama YUVA earned her the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress awards, respectively, at the 50th Filmfare Awards.
Her performance opposite to legendary Amitabh Bachchan in BLACK not only received unanimous praise for her portrayal of a blind, deaf and mute woman, but her performance also earned her two more Filmfare Awards: Best Actress and Actress – Critics.
In Yash Chopra’s period romance VEER-ZAARA, where she reunited with Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, Mukerji won a lot of critical acclaim not only in India but even from Pakistan. She went on to play leading roles in the comedy film BUNTY AUR BABLI (2005) and the adult drama KABHI ALVIDA NAA KEHNA (2006), both of which emerged as major economic successes in India and overseas.
Mukerji then collaborated with Yash Raj Films on several unsuccessful films which led critics to criticize her for choosing poor roles and pairing with the same set of actors.
The 2011 semi-biographical thriller NO ONE KILLED JESSICA proved to be her first commercial success in four years, and she followed it with a critically acclaimed performance in the 2012 supernatural thriller TALAASH: THE ANSWER LIES WITHIN.
In 2013 she made a mark with her strong performance in the movie BOMBAY TALKIES.
Now she is gearing up for her upcoming Bollywood film, MARDAANI, directed by Pradeep Sarkar and produced by Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films. She will play the role of a tough police officer in the film. Jisshu Sengupta has been cast in the role of Mukerji’s love interest.
In addition to acting in films, Mukerji has been actively involved with several humanitarian causes and is vocal about issues faced by women and children. She has participated in concert tours and stage shows, and featured as a talent judge for the 2009 reality show Dance Premier League.
