Jun 05, 2007 02:07 PM
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(Updated Jun 05, 2007 02:53 PM)
I still remember that innocent looking damsel who had set the screen on fire with her “palat” scene in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. That beautiful(though a bit plump) young heroine Aamir Khan had romanced on-screen and was full of praise off-screen… Or that woman portraying the strength of a meek young “bahu” who lashed out at the inhuman tortures of a ruthless society…
From the Mala in Raja Ki Ayegi Baraat(1997) to Radhika Bannerjee in Ta Ra Rum Pum(2007), Rani Mukherjee has 35 motion pictures under her belt(including all the cameos) and more than a dozen noteworthy performances and behold, quite a few of them fetching her immense accolades in every genre of acting. A couple of movies are in their Post-Production stage for release in 2007 too - Saawariya and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag. First, let’s have a quick run through some of the memorably rich performances from this reigning queen(to me however, she’s an all-time amazing performer):
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai(1998) - Tina Malhotra: It’s probably impossible to forget those dreamy eyes and innocent smile. That girl-next-door look on the face of a glamorous woman, that smile of assurance to her daughter or those scenes beside the tom-boyish Kajol. Watch the scene where Rani and Kajol sit together and Kajol is trying frantically to draw SRK’s attention - the duo has portrayed the 2 extreme faces of a woman with exact perfection on screen.
Hey Ram(2000) - Aparna Ram: Another career defining performance for a new-comer. It was a dream come true to watch Rani etch out her role with so much perfection against the superbly talented Kamal Hassan.
Mujhse Dosti Karoge!(2002) - Pooja Sahani: Again another sensitive performance from the Queen. A lot of sensible show went in to the portrayal of this character. A quiet flow of some internal strength yet an innocence that was overwhelming.
Saathiya(2002) - Suhani Sharma: One of the most powerful performances delivered by this Bengali beauty. Again a woman of subtle strength and extreme grace, Suhani was immortalized by Rani. Beautifully crafted, well scripted, good dialogues all added to this movie which eventually became a landmark in Hindi Cinema.
Yuva(2004) - Sashi Biswas: This is one role any contemporary heroine would have given her heart and soul for. And Rani proved with this role her acting prowess. She defined Sashi in the most beautiful and romantic of ways. You can visualize the change in Sashi’s life from softness to utter frustration, from dreams to bitter reality through the characterization of Rani. And in one word, she has done it in the most perfect of ways one could have though of. Kudos to you Rani, for this sensitized portrayal of a typical woman of this age.
Hum Tum(2004) - Rhea Prakash: Yet another master stroke with a breath taking performance. The college girl to the matured woman, Rani’s transition happens in sync with Rhea’s life. She’s looked smashing, graceful, beautiful and possibly every damn good thing in this movie.
Veer-Zaara(2004) - Saamiya Siddiqui: A very different role of a lawyer and not the main protagonist. Rani overwhelmed us yet again with a strong outstanding performance that made the movie a memorable one. Her gestures, her body language showed just how much she had matured as an actress.
Black(2005) - Michelle McNally: Definitely the first image which pops up when we think of Rani the actor. The neglected child to the determined woman – Rani brings out beautifully the hopelessness of a disabled human being; she portrays the agony of being the chosen one to suffer from everything we dread. There are a handful of scenes which you especially can’t forget from the movie – where Rani sits amidst her friends and teaches them how to speak in silence or the scene where she meets her teacher at the end or the scene where she fails in her exams. Probably I’ll end up talking about the entire movie if I go on…;)
Paheli(2005) - Lachchi: Another strong portrayal of a village woman who loses every dream and hope of love when her husband leaves for business after their marriage. An ignored helpless Lachchi finally does find love in her life and it comes in a many-splendoured form. But there is one obstacle in this love story - Lachchi's lover is a ghost…
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna(2006) - Maya R. Talwar: Another very tough role. In KANK, Rani’s character was perhaps the most questioned one yet she did her depiction to extreme perfection and didn’t leave behind too many a loophole. Her expressions speak a lot in this movie – be it the confrontation scenes with Abhi or Big B. Hats off to you in succeeding in carrying with determination such a difficult role.
Her date with the Awards Ceremonies have also been extremely enjoyable…With 20 wins and 18 nominations in various categories and functions, Rani’s most special and outstanding year turned out to be 2005 when she made a clean sweep of the trophies by carrying home the Best Actress(for Hum Tum(2004) and Best Supporting Actress(for Yuva(2004) in the Filmfare, Screen and IIFA Awards(Best Actress in a Leading Role for Hum Tum and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Veer-Zaara). That truly is an achievement.
Rani is known in the Hindi Film Industry for impeccable technicality in her acting. Her second cousin Kajol however is more favored for being a natural. In my experiences of watching Rani as a performer, I have found a methodological actor who excels in her rendition of a variety of roles. She can look sensational when the script demands of her a Tina or a Priya or absolutely deglamorized and serious when a Saamiya or a Michelle is called for. There are more than emotions in her characterization. There’s body language, there’s an involvement of the soul – see the scene in Yuva where the TTE checks her ticket and asks for her co-passenger. Her pent up emotions, her shattered dreams, her lost love, her whole life gurgle out in an obvious outburst of intense dejection. You can see it in her eyes, in her voice, in her face…
She can give her roles a touch of perfect affection and innocence too – see Michelle, the helpless faceless scar of time. She brings out feelings which perhaps normal human beings can’t feel just because we have learnt how to think. A deaf-dumb and blind girl doesn’t know how to express or react – and that emptiness has come out on Michelle’s face, that silence has grown in her eyes… And yet this actor can also knock you over with her smile – a genuine and almost killing one! A smile that looks definitely straight from the heart…
Rani Mukherjee is known in Bollywood for her perseverance and unpretentious ways of life. She chooses her words as well as her friends carefully - Rani truly conducts herself almost royally. Rani, to me has never looked overdone or overworked. She’s always looked naturally splendid and carried herself too well for words. She’s not ventured into territories just for the heck of publicity and has remained the calm and composed self that almost looks “saintly”(quoting SRK in Season 2 of KWK)!:)
Here’s hoping to see better than the best from this splendid beauty in the coming years. Queen of our hearts – we truly want to treasure every moment of our admiration and love for you. Forever reign the Queen…
