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Rani Mukerji has completed glorious thirty years in cinema. The actress marked the special occasion with a honest and reflective note on her movies and career
decisions over the years. She recalled that acting happened by chance as she did not have any plan or dream of joining the film industry. During her very first film, Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat, Rani understood that cinema is not about glamour but responsibility. She also went on to share her experience and learnings from various movies throughout her career.
Rani Mukerji Looks Back At Her 30-Years Long Career
Sharing her note via Yash Raj Films, Rani penned, "Thirty years ago, I stepped onto a film set with no grand plan of becoming an actress. It wasn't a dream I chased – it was something that found me. A young girl, drawn into cinema almost by chance, hesitant at first... and yet, somewhere between instinct and vulnerability, I fell in love with the craft."
She continued, "When I did Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat, I was barely aware of what a“career” in cinema would look like. I only knew that acting made me feel alive. That film taught me my first big lesson: cinema is not about glamour first – it is about responsibility. Playing a woman fighting for dignity so early in my journey shaped the actor I would become."
Calling Saathiya a turning point, Rani added, "I played a flawed, impulsive, emotional woman – and I remember feeling liberated. I didn't want to be perfect on screen. I wanted to be honest. That desire led me to films like Hum Tum, and showed me that women could be funny, sharp, and vulnerable all at once."
Special Mentions - Black, Bunty Aur Babli, Mardaani
Further, Rani called Black one of the most intense experiences of her life. "Working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Amitabh Bachchan pushed me to places I didn't know existed within me."
"I have always been drawn to women who challenge the world around them. Whether it was the spirited small town girl with big dreams in Bunty Aur Babli, the fierce journalist in No One Killed Jessica, or the relentless police officer in Mardaani, I felt a deep connection to the characters who refuse to back down, who want to shatter patriarchy and have a lot of grace while doing so."
Personal Life And Evolving Choices
The actress, who is married to YRF head honcho Aditya Chopra with whom she welcomed her daughter Adira in 2015, also spoke about how marriage and motherhood changed her perspective, making her more selective and focused.
“Marriage and motherhood changed me, not by slowing me down, but by sharpening my focus. I became more selective, more protective of my energy, and more aware of the kind of legacy I wanted to build and the films that I want to lend my voice to.”
Movies such as Hichki and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, she said, deepened her understanding of vulnerability and emotional truth. The actress said that she owes everything to the people who believed in her, directors who challenged her, co-actors who inspired her, technicians who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and audiences who grew up with her.
Today, when Rani looks back at her journey, she says she doesn’t count box-office numbers or awards first. "I count moments – standing under rain for a shot, laughing between takes, crying after a difficult scene, and feeling that quiet satisfaction when a performance truly connects."
“Thirty years later, my love for cinema is still the same, perhaps deeper, certainly calmer, and infinitely more grateful. It is incredibly special to mark my 30th year in cinema with Mardaani 3 – a franchise that allows me to salute the spirit of today’s women and also the resilience of the Indian police force, especially the women who serve the nation.”
Mardaani 3 is slated to release on January 30.
