Interview

Having known her even before she became an actress, I was prepared to meet the girl I had heard was a changed person today. But of course, success changes you.

Ghulam is the only hit today and Rani Makherjee is getting letters in blood from guys swearing to be her Ghulam for life . Any 20 yr. old's head would turn with such adulation. Our short and snappy interview turned into a three hour chat. Somehow, I was reminded of Divya Bharati when she had done her first interview with me, even before she was spotted for Radha Ka Sangam. The same enthusiasm, the same dreams, the same childishness and the same consideration for others. The only difference, Rani knows how to handle her problems whereas Divya did not! But then Rani comes from a film family. Her father Ram Mukherjee, was the founder director of Filmalaya Studios and directed many films like Leader etc.

"I had this dream of becoming somebody very rich and famous. I did not want an ordinary life. But believe me I never thought I'd become an actress. If someone suggested it I'd tell them they were mad. From which angle did I look like an actress? My mom, I think always wanted me to join films as she too comes from a film background. Her sister is a top actress in Bengal and she herself was a singer and did many shows with Kishore Kumar."

"Maybe......and somehow, when I finished my 12th standard I was also at the crossroads. All my friends had chosen a career But none of the careers they had chosen interested me, yet I wanted a career too. That's when Salim uncle offer me Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat and I accepted it"

" People don't know that my dad and Salim Akhtar, have been friends for years. Dad has directed three films with him. I have known Salim, since I was three years old. Doesn't that make him my uncle and his wife my aunt? I'm very close to them. If, say, Kajol's dad Shomu Kaka was doing a film with me, wouldn't I be closer to him than other film makers? Just because Salim Uncle is not blood related and he gave me my first break, they are linking me with him. For me, it's sickening even to think of such a thing."

There was a lot more to check with her but that would be later. It was her dream of becoming another Kajol, that interested me first. It must have been her cousin's success that gave her the confidence to step into the commercial set up of films.

"First of all Kajol is only my second cousin. One relationship is being publicised because after her,I've come from the Mukherjee family. We are the same blood stream and coloured eyes.......that's where the similarity ends. Kajol came into films seven years ago. If it was her success that prompted me to become an actress, I'd have done so a long time ago. Before Kajol my masi had been in films for the last 25 years and saw her in and out of the studios ever since I can remember. But all this cannot guarantee you success or confidence or help you take decisions for life. It's basically your hard work and your luck. Salem uncle also used to tell me when I was a child also that I'd be the future heroine and I'd think he was joking. When he actually offered me that film, I decided to give it a try. That initial process of learning in your first film, helps you decide whether you could make a career of it. I decided I could and that's how I'm here.

" In a way, yes. We share a warm relationship and now we are doing, a film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai , opposite Shah Rukh Khan . We will be meeting more often and whenever we meet, we freak out. Kajol is a very warm person. She has absolutely no airs and feels very protective towards me. She knows I mean well, I want to work hard and make it here. We're both not into the Mukherjee clan too much. I think she also keeps her distance."

People who know Kajol and Rani remark that they are quite similar. In fact, Rani is quite arrogant when it comes to dealing with people.

"Kajol and I are the Bengal tigresses today and we are ferocious ones I guess! We will not let anyone take us for granted. Speaking for myself, I'd say people have formed their own opinions even without meeting me. I don't think it's fair to label me arrogant or clever without knowing me. If a journalist hears this from some unit hand on the sets and calls me arrogant over some small incident, it's not fair. If someone misbehaved with me, I'd have to deal with it accordingly. But it's not as if I walk around with my head in the air. I have my feet very firmly planted in the ground."

"Kajol and I are both very frank and basically good people but she is more street smart than I am. That's probably because she has been around longer. I'm quite easy going and react only when something upsets me. Mom thinks I'm very chalk and dad worries and thinks I'm quite cool. If I have a problem with someone, I deal with him or her very directly and don't go around sulking. Maybe, its the fire in my eyes that makes people think I'm clever little thing but I hate hypocrisy. When I talk, it comes straight from the heart. I don't manipulate my quotes for make effect."

Ghulam was actually Pooja Bhatt's film but earlier Aamir Khan had suggested Rani Mukherjee. Today she thinks she was plain lucky?