Rani Mukerji on Mardaani 3: My character isn’t an action heroine kicking 10 villains

Rani Mukerji in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway

It has been a good year for Rani Mukerji, who enjoyed a hit in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. The actor is now looking forward to 2024 that will see her reprise the role of a tough-as-nails cop for Mardaani 3. At a time when Bollywood has cop and spy franchises, Mukerji is proud to be the only female actor with a cop franchise under her belt. "I never thought it would become so successful when I did the first part with Pradeep da [Sarkar, director]. Mardaani happened because we all, as a nation, collectively felt angry, sad and helpless because of the Nirbhaya case. The film was born out of those emotions. Then we received so much love that we got a great idea for the second one as well," she recalls.

Even as she is eager to face the camera as ACP Shivani Shivaji Roy, Mukerji reveals that Mardaani 3's script has yet to be finalised. But she promises that it will be realistic, unlike other cop movies that have larger-than-life protagonists who can single-handedly beat countless men to pulp. "Even the third part will be raw, gritty and close to reality. Mardaani is known for its realism. My character is not a larger-than-life, action heroine who is kicking 10 villains, sending them up in the air. Shivani behaves like a real cop; you won't see a real cop doing somersaults and kicking in the air."

After the post-pandemic lull, Mukerji is grateful that the Hindi film industry got back on its feet in 2023, churning out blockbusters like Pathaan, Gadar 2: The Katha Continues, Jawan and Animal. "People are enjoying going back to the theatres, and it's a great time for the industry as we can take risks again and make films without having the fear that audiences won't come." The theatrical success of her mid-sized film, Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, proved that audiences are seeking not only visual spectacles, but also content-driven offerings. "I choose my movies instinctively. It's not necessary that a good content-driven film will get an audience in the times that we were releasing it, so there was always a fear. But we went in with our gut instinct, [we knew] it was an important story that had to be told."