BizAsia interviews Rani Mukerji about ‘Mardaani’
Yash Raj Films seem to be foraying into unknown territory with the forthcoming film ‘Mardaani’. Starring Rani Mukerji in the lead role, the film looks at the issue of child trafficking with a gritty and hard-hitting feel and the actress essaying the role of a no-nonsense female cop. Having had ‘Aiyya’ (2012) do dismally at the box office, no doubt the audiences are waiting in anticipation for this film which sees Mukerji back to her non-conventional self. BizAsia had the unique opportunity to speak to the actress ahead of the film’s release on 22nd August.
Congratulations on the success of the first trailers and looks of ‘Mardaani’.
Thank you very much. It is a very special film for me and knowing that it is getting compliments right from the first trailer means a lot to me.
You’ve played a strong-headed female before as the journalist in ‘No One Killed Jessica’ (2011). This time, in ‘Mardaani’, you’re playing a very strong female character again as Shivani Shivaji Roy. What drew you to the role?
Well, No One Killed Jessica was a very different film. When I was first shown the script of Mardaani, I reacted like a girl. Then, I took stock and reacted like an artist. Mardaani is about child trafficking and, although it’s not a true story, it is very real and reflects what’s happening today in the world. Child trafficking is a very real issue and in this film, the incidents are very true to real life. You will find when you watch the film that we have not sensationalied the story and that it’s still very raw for cinema.
With films like ‘Lakshmi’ (2014) and now ‘Mardaani’, do you feel cinema is a good way of highlighting such social issues?
Well, there’s always the argument that a film may not actually get to the right audiences or the right people who it might affect. However, I think we’ve all been so moved by cases in India that it’s important to try and make a difference. It’s important that women learn self-defence, they learn how to look after themselves.
Pradeep Sarkar, the director of ‘Mardaani’, is someone you also worked with in your 2007 film ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag’. How did you find the experience in ‘Mardaani’ with it being a hard-hitting film in comparison to how it was working with him in 2007?
Well, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag was a totally different film with a different message. Pradeep Sarkar, with ‘Mardaani’, has made sure that even the police station the audiences see on the screen is a true representation of a real-life thanedaar. And in this film, it’s so fresh that the audience will feel like a 25-year-old has directed it.
Did you take inspiration from anyone in particular for the role of Shivani Shivaji Roy?
When I did No One Killed Jessica, many said my role was that of Barkha Dutt but it wasn’t actually modelled around any one person but many journalists I met when doing my research on the Jessica Lal case. Similarly, in Mardaani, I have taken inspiration from all the women police officers and people I have met whilst researching for the film. Shivani Shivaji Roy has a little bit of all of them.
This is your first action-packed role. Were there any obstacles you came across along the way?
No not really. My trainer and I made sure when doing the stunts that they were well rehearsed. When someone hits you, you need to know where that hit came from. So, firstly we made sure that we practiced and that noone was getting hurt while acting on out the scenes. This is my first role like this but I think we made sure we knew what we were doing before shooting for the scenes and we were very careful.
BizAsia would like to thank Rani Mukerji for taking the time to talk to us. ‘Mardaani’ is produced by Yash Raj Films and is going to hit cinemas om 22nd August.
