MUMBAI: Ever since Bollywood actress Rani Mukherji did the film Black in 2005, her riskiest project till date, and gave the performance of a lifetime, she has since then been effortlessly daring in her film choices.
Mukherji is currently basking in the success of her recent film, Hichki, which has been a box-office success and in a recent interview, the actress called out Bollywood’s double-standards against married actresses and its convenient show of respect to actors that changes with every Friday.
Speaking on the success of Hichki, Rani said, “Success this time meant a lot because there are basic prejudices that come with married actresses and those who are mothers. How we are a dead commodity; how we don’t sell and that no one wants to see us. Then to actually have an audience that showers so much love on you and tells you, ‘We don’t care you are married or a mother. We just want to see you on screen.’ That validation matters a lot because as a professional, I am the same girl.”
“Just because I got married and had a baby, nothing changed in me. I am the same actor. I don’t know why this stigma has been attached to actresses that once we want to have a life of our own, we have to give up on our other love. Actors don’t get this. They have a successful career and parallelly lead their normal lives. Only actresses are made to choose marriage late in their lives because they feel our commodity dies once we are married,” she remarked.
However, she added that she never regretted her decision of getting married.
“I never wanted to be an actor and my mom said, ‘If you don’t like it, don’t do it.’ There was no pressure on me to act but over time, I found love in acting and I felt it came naturally to me. Then I waited for love to happen because I was always a hopeless romantic and that’s why I have done so many romantic films.”
“So, it was important for me to get married to someone I love and respect. Being an achiever in the acting profession, you seldom get people you can respect. You get people whom you can love, but respect is far and rare. These were two of my criteria and Adi has been someone I have always respected. Respect is rare in the industry because in a place where people respect you for a Friday. His respect for you is for your craft regardless of the success.”