Rani Mukerji

Lore & Background

Born into the Mukherjee-Samarth family in Bombay, Mukerji began acting as a teenager in her father Ram Mukherjee's Bengali-language film Biyer Phool and the social drama Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat (both 1996). Her first commercial success came with the action film Ghulam and breakthrough with the romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (both 1998). After a brief setback, 2002 marked a turning point when she was cast by Yash Raj Films as the star of the drama Saathiya. She established herself with commercially successful romantic films including Chalte Chalte (2003), Hum Tum, Veer-Zaara (both 2004), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), and the crime comedy Bunty Aur Babli (2005). She also gained praise for playing an abused wife in the political drama Yuva (2004) and a deaf and blind woman in the drama Black (2005).

Reader's Guide

Rani Mukerji's career reflects a trajectory from teenage debut to established star in Hindi cinema. Her collaborations with Yash Raj Films from 2007 to 2010 produced several unsuccessful films, leading critics to bemoan her choice of roles. This changed when she played a headstrong journalist in the biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica (2011). Further success came with the thrillers Talaash (2012), Mardaani (2014), Mardaani 2 (2019) and Mardaani 3 (2025), the social message-drama Hichki (2018), which emerged as her highest-grossing release, and the drama Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), which earned her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Mukerji is involved with 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. She is married to filmmaker Aditya Chopra, with whom she has a daughter.

Did You Know?

• Mukerji was born on 21 March 1978 in Bombay into the Mukherjee-Samarth family.
• She won the National Film Award for Best Actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023).
• Her highest-grossing release is the social message-drama Hichki (2018).
• She is married to filmmaker Aditya Chopra and has a daughter.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Rani Mukerji (born March 21, 1978) is an Indian actress who works in Bollywood movies." — Rani Mukerji "rediff.com. Rani: I am an entertainer. Retrieved on 1 June, 2006." — Rani Mukerji "thedailystar.net. Retrieved on 1 June, 2006." — Rani Mukerji "Sanjay Leela Bhansali brings out the best in me, both personally and professionally. I think we have a Karmic connection and I hope he'll agree!" — Rani Mukerji