The yearning for acclaimand glory which arose afterthe debacle of her debut film Raja Ki Aayegi Baarat, wasfulfilled by the super success of Ghulam and Kuch Kuch HotaHai. The euphoria of the achievement remains fresh in the mind of Queen Mukherjee. Her journey to the pinnacle has just begun and there seems to be no looking back! Starting off her career with a substantial role in RKAB, to dancing around the Khandala trees in Ghulam, to the glamour doll of KKHH, to shaking a leg withfavourite co-star Aamir Khan in Mann, Rani has successfully managed to woo the audiences with something unusual each time, and continues to reign supremeover a million hearts.

Have there been any remarkable changes in your career after the roaring successof Ghulam and Kuch Kuch...?
As an actress, there has been atremendous growth in my personality. I’ve become more comfortable in frontof the camera. I’ve realised my flaws and have been trying my level best to improve up on them. Initially, my voice was supposed to be my biggest flaw. Now, out of the blue, I am complimented for its huskiness. When people say they love my voice, I am amazed. These days very few people take notice of talent, most of them are interested in the physical ities and the latka jhatkas of an actress.

Isn’t it taxing to deal withrivalry, controversies andcompetition?
It is, but one can’t do anything about it.In this cut-throat world of films,everything boils down to talent, which is the basis of survival. If I have it, thenI’m capable of sustaining. My failure will have nothing to do with the success of Aishwarya Rai’s Hum Dil DeChuke Sanam or Preity Zinta’s Soldier. It will be because of my lack of potential. Everyone is doing their share of work. So, why get into the rutof complexes and competition?

Deciding on options to belaunched must’ve been a toughtask.
There was a period when I was not sure of taking up acting as a full-time profession. I was just out of school when Salim Akhtar, who is a close family friend, offered me Aa Gale Lag Jaa. The thought of working in films scared the wits out of me! I didn’t wish to participate in the rat race. Eventually, Urmila Matondkar bagged the project. Later, I was bored of studies and wanted to do something constructive in life and decided to give acting a shot. Once again, Salim uncle approached me for Raja Ki Aayegi Baarat. I screen-tested for him and it was a complete disaster! Iwas very bad before the camera. My mom told him to drop the idea of casting me in his film. But he wasadamant and wanted only me to do his film. His confidence in me made me accept the offer and there was no way I could’ve let him down. All it requiredwas his faith in my work and my duty to deliver the best.

It is rumoured that yourrepertoire is full of two-bitroles?
I’m working with some of the most talented personalities in the industry, like Kamal Haasan, Shah Rukh Khan,Aamir Khan and Govinda, and one can learn so much from them. They are like institutions. I will continue working with them, even if it means standing in a corner of the scene.

Don’t you feel thatconcentrating on Salman Khanand Govinda-starrers mightbackfire?
So what if I’m doing only Govinda and Salman-starrers? I have meatyroles in all my films, so why should I bother about who my hero is. My only interest is in my work, what other people do in the film is none of my business! In the past, I have done films where I had nothing significant to do. My character in Ghulam was a regular filmi one, yet my excitement knew no bounds when Vikram Bhatt asked me to do it. I was looking forward to working with Mukesh Bhatt, Vikram Bhatt and Aamir Khan!

Why aren’t you working withbig banners?
I’m not insecure that big banners are not signing me. It’s perfectly fine by me if Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai or Sooraj Barjatya don’t find me interesting enough for their films. I can survive without them. Anyway, I don’t believe in the concept of big or small banners. Whether it’s Sohail Khan’s Hello Brother, KamalHaasan’s Hey Ram, Vikram Bhatt’s Tumhare Liye or Sajid Nadiadwala’sHar Dil Jo Pyar Karega... to me they’re all equally important. I do full justice to every role.

Was it wise on your part to turn down Aamir Khan’s home production Lagaan?
I’m not doing Aamir Khan’s Laagan and I can only blame my date diary for losing out on Aamir’s dream-venture. We parted ways gracefully.

How do you react to stories linking you with Govinda?
My alleged affair with Govinda seems to be bothering everyone else but me.It’s weird that every time an actress is doing many films with Chi Chi, she supposedly has an affair with him. Initially, it was Neelam, then JuhiChawla, Karisma Kapoor, RaveenaTandon and now me. Poor guy, I feel sorry for him!

How does your family react to these stories?
My family is my backbone. They’re always there when I need them. They always know my state of mind. Just because I’m an independent woman, it doesn’t give me the liberty to do whatever I want. They still care about what I’m doing. Link-ups and gossip have never bothered them. It doesn’t even hamper my relations with my co-stars. Hailing from a film background, my family knows the kind of place the industry is. I read every magazine, and I’m always informed about other people’s perceptions of me. We all have a good laugh reading about my link-ups.

How’d you describe the wordLOVE?
Love is life! It’s very important for us tofall in love. It teaches us to value people and their emotions. One becomes more accommodating. At themoment, I’m not in love. Sooner or later, I too am looking forward to getting into a relationship.

How important is the institution of marriage to you?
Marriage is important. But, at the moment, my priority is my career. I have certain ambitions to fulfill before I take on the responsibility of taking care of my man and his family.

Would you give up your career for your man?
It’s a hypothetical question! If I give up my profession after my marriage, it’ll be only for myself. I’ll never give up my career for my man. I do things that suit me!

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