Biography of Rani Mukherji:

Born Rani Mukherjee
March 21, 1978
(1978-03-21) (age 31)
Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Other name(s) Rani Mukherji, Rani Mukerjee

Occupation Film actress

Years active 1996 - present

Spouse(s) None

Rani Mukerji (Bengali) born on March 21, 1978, is an Indian film actress who works in Bollywood movies.

Making her acting debut with Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat (1996), Mukerji had her first commercial success with Karan Johar's romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), her biggest hit so far, and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in the film. She later starred in many films, most of which fared below expectations. She re-invented her image with Saathiya (2002), which was commercially and critically successful.

In 2004, her performances in the hit Hum Tum and the critically acclaimed Yuva earned her the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress awards at the Filmfare, making her the first actress to win two major awards in the same year. She received unanimous praise for her role as a deaf and blind girl in the film Black (2005), as well as many awards for her performance, establishing herself as a leading actress in Bollywood.


Rani Mukerji on Amul STAR Voice of India (2007).

Early life and background:

Mukerji is a trained Odissi dancer, and began learning the dance in the tenth grade. Mukerji studied at Maneckji Cooper High School in Juhu, and later enrolled at Mithibai College in Mumbai.

Acting career:

Prior work and breakthrough, 1996-2002

After doing a short cameo appearance for the first time in her father's Bengali film Biyer Phool (1992), Mukerji made her acting debut four years later, as the protagonist of Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat (1996). Her performance as a rape victim in the film was well received, but when the film failed at the box office, she returned to college to complete her education.

Mukerji as Tina Malhotra in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), her biggest commercial success to date. Pictured with Shahrukh Khan.

Mukerji returned to films in 1998. Her first release that year was Ghulam, opposite Aamir Khan; the film did well at the box office.The song Aati Kya Khandala made Mukerji popular among the masses, earning her the nickname of Khandala Girl. Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, followed for her that year. The movie was a blockbuster, and she received her first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actress category.

She followed her career by signing on several projects. Unfortunately, most of them did not do well at the box office. Although Badal was one of the highest grossing films of 2000, she still didn't succeed to establish her status in the industry at that point of time.

In 2001, Mukerji starred in Abbas Mustan's romantic drama Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, co-starring Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. The film was released after a one-year delay, and was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth. Mukerji's role was that of Priya Malhotra, a woman who is unable to conceive after a miscarriage, thus hires a surrogate mother. Rediff.com wrote, "Rani Mukherji is handicapped with a role that doesn't give her much scope besides weeping and sobbing. To her credit, she manages to hold her own even while playing a stereotypical sacrificing bhartiya nari."

In 2002, Mukerji played the lead role in Kunal Kohli's romance Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, co-starring alongside Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. Although the movie did not do well in India, it generated great business overseas,[12] and marked her entry into India's biggest production house: Yash Raj Films. Later that year, Mukerji starred in Shaad Ali's critically acclaimed Saathiya opposite Vivek Oberoi. Essaying the role of Suhani Sharma, a medical student who deals with the tensions and discontent of being married at a young age, she won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, and among several other nominations, received her first Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare. Manish Gajjar from BBC noted, "...Rani Mukerjee...plays the character of a middle class girl with great conviction."

Filmography:

Year Film Role Notes
1996 Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat Mala
1998 Ghulam Alisha
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Tina Malhotra Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Mehndi Pooja
1999 Mann Special appearance in song Kaali Naagin Ke
Hello Brother Rani
2000 Badal Rani
Hey Ram Aparna Ram Tamil film
Simultaneously made in Hindi as Hey Ram
Hadh Kar Di Aapne Anjali Khanna
Bichhoo Kiran Bali
Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega Pooja Oberoi Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye Priya Sharma
2001 Chori Chori Chupke Chupke Priya Malhotra
Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai Pooja Shrivastav
Nayak: The Real Hero Manjari
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Naina Kapoor Cameo
2002 Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai Payal Khuranna
Mujhse Dosti Karoge! Pooja Sahani
Saathiya Dr. Suhani Sharma/Saigol Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance & Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Chalo Ishq Ladaaye Sapna
2003 Chalte Chalte Priya Chopra Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Chori Chori Khushi Malhotra
Calcutta Mail Reema/Bulbul
Kal Ho Naa Ho Special appearance in song Mahi Ve
LOC Kargil Hema
2004 Yuva Sashi Biswas Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Hum Tum Rhea Prakash Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Veer-Zaara Saamiya Siddiqui Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
2005 Black Michelle McNally Double-Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award & Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance
Bunty Aur Babli Vimmi Saluja (Babli) Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Paheli Lachchi Bhanwarlal
Mangal Pandey: The Rising Heera
2006 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Maya Talwar Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Baabul Malvika "Milli" Talwar/Kapoor
2007 Ta Ra Rum Pum Radhika Shekar Rai Banerjee (Shona)
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag Vibhavari Sahay (Badki)/Natasha Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Saawariya Gulabji Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Om Shanti Om Herself Special appearance in song Deewangi Deewangi
2008 Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic Geeta
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Special appearance in song Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte
2009 Luck by Chance Herself Special appearance
Dil Bole Hadippa! Veera Kaur/Veer Pratap Singh Released on September 18, 2009
2010 Koochie Koochie Hota Hai Tina Pre-production