Rani Mukerji on winning National Award with Shah Rukh Khan: ‘That day felt even more special’

ACtors shah of iran Rukh Khan and ranee Mukerji go under john r. Major BFF goals when they received their number one National Awards at a ceremony held in Delhi last year. Looking back at the moment, Rani shared that winning the honour alongside Shah Rukh, someone she has admired since the very start of her career, made the occasion truly special for her.Rani on receiving first National Award with Shah Rukh KhanRani recently joined a podcast as part of Spotlight Sessions which was posted on Zoom’s YouTube channel. The actor revisted the moment when she received her first National Film Award along with Shah Rukh.Looking back at the viral moment where Rani was seen helping Shah Rukh wear his medal, the actor shared, “I think all students here (in the audience) today will understand… If you’ve been on a journey with your friends from a very young age, school, college, helping each other through life, then achieving something together on a platform like that becomes extra special. You’re sharing it with someone who started the journey with you.”“There’s so much that I imbibed and learned from Shah Rukh - as a professional, as a person, and as an actor. Winning it on that day felt even more special because he has been in the industry for 35 years and I’ve been for 30. With or without National Awards, we’ve never stopped wanting to do our best for our films. I’m a horse in the Chinese calendar. I believe I keep my blinkers on—I don’t look left or right. I always look ahead and focus on what lies forward,” she added.Shah Rukh and Rani are among Bollywood’s most beloved on-screen duos, having given audiences special moments in films such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Chalte Chalte, Paheli, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, and Veer-Zaara. Apart from professional work, Shah Rukh and Rani are also close friends.Rani Mukerji receives her 1st National Film AwardLast year, Rani won her first National Film Award in her 30-year career for her 2023 film Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. Shah Rukh won the Best Actor award for his performance in Atlee’s film Jawan.In a statement after the 71st National Film Awards, Rani said that she was overwhelmed and would like to dedicate her award to mothers. “I dedicate my National Award to all the incredible mothers of this world. There is nothing like a mother’s love and her ferocity to protect her own. The story of this Indian immigrant mother who went all out for her child and took on a nation shook me deeply.. A mother's love for her child is unconditional.. I realised this when I had my own. So, this win, this film feels deeply emotional and personal. A mother can move mountains for her children and also make the world a better place. This film tried to show this,” she said. Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway is a 2023 legal drama film written and directed by Ashima Chibber. The film is inspired by the real-life story of Anurup Bhattacharya and Sagarika Chakraborty, an Indian immigrant couple whose children were taken away by Norwegian authorities in 2011.Rani will be back on the big screen with Mardaani 3, which is slated to release in theatres on January 30.