Rani Mukerji: Important to portray Indian women beautifully to global audience

Award-winning Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji is presently busy promoting her upcoming film Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway, which brings to light the story of Debika, an immigrant mother that fights against all odds to win back the custody of her children. Directed by Ashima Chibber, the movie is based on the 2011 true story of NRI couple Sagarika and Anurup Bhattacharya.

Mukerji, whose credits include films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Tum, Black, and the Mardaani series, said the effort has always been to highlight various facets of Indian women.

“For me, it is very important to portray Indian women beautifully to the global audience that whether the audience in the global arena watches an Indian film with me in it, they see an Indian woman’s character, and the person should say, ‘Wow! This is an Indian woman’," she told PTI in an interview here.

As an artiste, Mukerji said it is important for her to "look up to and root" for her characters. “In my lifetime, I can only be Rani but through my character, I can live as so many different Indian women (on-screen).

"Like, I can be Tina from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Naina Mathur from Hichki, Shivani Shivaji Roy from Mardaani, Mrs Chatterjee from Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, Rhea from Hum Tum, Shashi from Yuva, Michelle from Black, Vimmi from Bunty Aur Babli. So, there are so many characters that I get to play,” she added.

An Indian woman is an amalgamation of many things but the Mumbai-born star said she would like to define her as someone who is loving, caring, and brave.

“It is important for me to bring about Indian women on screen beautifully because I am an Indian woman. I feel Indian women are the best in the world because they are passionate and kind. They are truly beautiful inside out. They are very giving, forgiving as well, and they are brave. And if given a choice, they are willing to sacrifice,” she said.

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is scheduled to release on March 17.