Entertainment Desk

From Tina Malhotra in block-buster “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai” to Maya Talwar in “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna” and Debika Chatterjee in “Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway”, Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji has enthralled the audience with her portrayal of characters and never regrets doing any on-screen role but rues missing out on superstar Aamir Khan’s maiden production “Lagaan” due to clashing of shooting dates.

Expressing happiness over the trajectory of her cinematic journey, the celebrated actress said “I never regret doing any character in my cinema life. But it was unfortunate that I couldn't be part of Aamir Khan's first production venture film 'Lagaan' due to a date clash.”

Asked at a free-wheeling discussion during the “In Conversation” programme at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa on November 26 which role she would pick as her most favourite, Mukherji said it is the character of Michelle McNally in the film “Black” which is closest to her heart. The reason? The “Black” character, she said, transformed her and helped her to be a better human being.

"The character of 'Michelle McNally' in Black inspired and challenged me at the same time. The character in 'Mehndi' also empowered me”, she added.

Talking about the intricacies of character portrayal, Mukherji said that “for doing particular roles, actors often meet real-life people to get their physical characteristics right. But it is also important to know what all emotions they are going through. What distinguishes a scene in a film is the emotions behind the scene. It is important to portray the emotions for it to reach the audience's heart."

On the topic of age factor for an actor in the film industry, the actress said actors need to acknowledge their age and accept roles that suit their age for the audience to receive them. She added it is the audience which helped her to break ageism and other barriers in the film industry.

"I don't give much importance to the age factor and try to do justice to my characters. Fifty percent of your battle of making people believe in the character is won if you look like the character," Mukherji said.

She also highlighted the significance of versatility for an actor. "If an actor is versatile, he or she can portray different facets of life. For an actor, the more diverse the characters are, the more interesting they will be for the audience and for me. This diversity in characters also inspires me."

Reflecting on her cinematic journey, Rani Mukherji said she always tried to portray Indian women as strong characters. "Outside India, films and their characters are viewed as windows towards our Indian culture,” she added.

Emphasising the importance of commitment to one's craft, Mukherji said "it is important to always stand by strong films and roles. Sometimes you might not get the audience's approval at that period of time. But in the history of cinema, such films and characters will find a place."