‘Today, no film is big or small’: Rani Mukerji on backing projects that she believes in

Rani Mukerji has always believed in backing content-driven cinema. Post her marriage to Aditya Chopra, she was seen as the dynamic cop Shivani Shivaji Roy in Mardaani (2014). After her maternity leave, she returned to the big screen as Naina Mathur in Hichki (2018), which had her playing a teacher battling Tourette Syndrome. Rani believes that leading actresses need to put their weight behind scripts that they believe in, instead of playing safe. She says, “It’s important to do that because only when you back the project will it see the light of the day. When you come across a script that you, in your gut, feel strongly about, you have to take it on irrespective of what some people may tell you. There have been so many examples last year itself where these beliefs have been proved wrong. Today, there can’t be a distinction that a film is big or small. Ab koi bhi movie badi ho sakti hai, depending on the content.” When asked whether she would want to call the shots on a project that she wants to bring to the big screen, she says, “Let Adira grow up a bit. I am happy being an actor right now.”

Besides headlining content-driven movies, actors are flexing their muscle in the digital arena. Akshay Kumar recently announced his web show, while Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, too, are considering the ones offered to them. Saif Ali Khan will return to the OTT platform with the second season of Sacred Games soon. Rani, too, is open to venturing into this space. “I would love to do something (on one for the digital platforms). But my decision to do a project is driven by the content because as an actor I have to try all the mediums,” she says.