Rani Mukerji speaking up for a cause

After a successful stint in Bollywood, actor Rani Mukerji is finally focussing her energies on more than just film roles. The actress, who has enjoyed a successful stint in tinsel town, is now helping to set up a fund for needy heart patients.

Previously, Mukerji had supported her aunt, the National Award winning actress Debashree Roy, towards her initiative for stray dogs.

“In our country, heart strokes are the third largest killer and also among the leading cause of adult disabilities. It will be my privilege to support the organisation in its pioneering efforts towards awareness, diagnosis and appropriate management of the condition,” Mukerji said during the launch of the initiative. The actress, it is learnt, has also made a sizeable donation to the cause.

“Rani has cut down a lot on her films. She is doing one or two films a year now and all of them would be performance-oriented roles. For the rest of the time, Rani wants to concentrate on channeling her efforts for some worthy causes. She also does a lot of charity that she doesn’t want to talk about,” says a source.

Mukerji has already started a fund in association with Indian Stroke Association (ISA), an NGO which will support 25 people who suffered from heart attacks but couldn’t afford the treatment. “Two of my very close family members suffered from strokes and I know what damage it can cause. It is one of the most important reasons why I chose to get associated with this cause,” concludes Mukerji.