Rani returns

The actress to make a comeback in an Adi-backed Siddharth P Malhotra project

Rani Mukerji, is ready to emerge out of her long hiatus from acting and has signed on her next, a untitled film helmed by Siddharth P Malhotra (who directed 2010’s We Are Family).

The film marks Rani’s return after two years, Pradeep Sarkar’s Mardaani. Says a source close to the developments, “Rani plays the central lead in Siddharth’s film. Like Mardaani, this one too will deal with a strong social issue. He narrated the script to Adi first and then Rani. They both loved it and Adi will produce the film. Siddharth, Adi and Rani have been meeting and working out the project regarding dates et al.”

And it wasn’t easy to get Rani on board. “Since her baby Adira’s birth, Rani has become a full-time, hands-on mother, completely immersed in caring for her child, but in December, Adira will be a year old and the actress will find time to work by then. It took time to convince her to act again, but Adi heard the script and felt it would be perfect for her, after Mardaani.”

The source adds, “Once everything gets finalised, the film will roll only mid or in the latter half of next year.”

The actress’s spokesperson maintained, “Rani will definitely be doing a film next year, but she is currently in the process of reading scripts. As soon as she decides, we will be able to announce it.”