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IT’S A FRESH INNINGS: RANI
The actor says she has “changed as a person as well as an actor” after the birth of daughter, Adira
She was last seen in Mardaani (2014). But clearly, Rani Mukerji’s absence from the silver screen has had no effect on her ebullient nature and happy-golucky avatar. Looking like a million bucks, the actor — armed with her 1,000 watt smile — seems raring to go in her new film and feels that her “journey has begun now”. As she readies for the release of her next, Hichki, we caught up with her about the film and more.
It has been almost four years since your last release. Feeling excited or a bit sceptical?
I don’t feel sceptical because I have always believed that whatever I have achieved is great for a person, who never wanted to be an actor. What can go wrong now? God has been kind and my fans have been supportive. I’ve learnt one thing in life that whatever the situation may be, one must get ahead in life while accepting them, especially dealing with situations which can make your life better. The more you try to fight a situation — especially since things don’t turn out the way you want them to at that particular time — the more it hurts you.
What’s the most exciting thing visàvis this new phase?
My daughter! As she grows up, Adira will know that her mother is a working woman. She will see my work and comment on it, so it would be a new thing. I miss the comments coming from my father. It’s always been important for me to know what my mum and dad thought of my films. Now that my father is gone, she will balance that out. I am only worried that unlike our parents, who filter things, our kids won’t do that (laughs). Adi is my husband, not my kid, so there will be a little difference [between their reactions to her films].
Could the difference be because your husband is afraid of you?
That you have to ask him only (laughs). When it comes to Adi, it’s great that he is very good in multi-tasking and departmentalising. So when I am at home, it’s different but when he talks to me as a professional, his approach is not the same. He behaves like two different people when he talks to me as a wife and as an actor. Adi comes from a different space when he discusses something workrelated with me.
What made you come back from a sabbatical and say yes to a film that is not runofthe mill (her character in the film suffers from Tourette syndrome)?
For me, my script is always the king, which people don’t seem to understand nowadays. If a script is good, it will remain the same regardless of how bad the acting or direction is. The spine that keeps a film standing straight is a script. Also, my husband was very keen that I do a film. He knew that I am a family person, and I would require a push to get out of that zone and do a film. He told me, ‘Adira is going to be with us throughout our life, but you have to be responsible to your fan base’. If you have an understanding husband, who also respects who you are, that works very well. Had it been any script other than Hichki, I would have said, ‘I need time’ and would not have been so excited. But I felt the need to do Hichki.