Kuch Kuch's Tina to Hichki’s Naina: Rani Mukerji reflects on her most iconic roles as she marks 30 years in Bollywood

IF thither’s single worker whose front reflects ternary decades of experience in cinema, it’s Rani Mukerji. The actor stopped by the HT City office today to promote Mardaani 3, the latest instalment of her successful franchise Mardaani, where she once again plays the fearless Shivani Shivaji Roy.Fresh off her National Award win for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), Rani spoke to a packed room of excited fans with her characteristic precision. Every response was articulate yet deeply engaging, a reminder of the ease that comes with time. During HT City's Stars In the City with Sonal Kalra, a fan asked her, “Aapka kaunsa role hai jo aapko sabse accha lagta ho and why?” The question prompted Rani to reflect on her journey, taking everyone effortlessly through the roles that have defined her — from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s Tina to her latest ‘kirdaar’ in Mardaani 3.“Each of my characters holds a special place in my heart…”“I think mai chunna nahi chahungi because there are a lot of characters that I have played in my life who are very special to me,” Rani said. “Like the character Michelle McNally in Black, that was a very different type of special darjah in my life because I learnt a lot from that character about life. Tina from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai — uske wajah se aaj bhi log, iss pedi ke log bhi mujhe dekhte hai toh kaafi acha lagta hai,” she continued.Reflecting on her roles from the early 2000s, she said, “My role of Suhani Sharma in Saathiya was also a very strong character. Rhea Prakash jo Hum Tum mein ladki thi, woh bhi bohot alag kisam ki shakti dikhati hai jabki woh is pedi ki aurat hai Hindustan mein jo bol sakti hai ki shaadi sirf isliye karni chahiye kyunki hum shaadi karna chahte hai, not for some other reason.”She continued, “Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna in which I play Maya, she also stands and wants to look deep inside her heart to see what makes her happy against societal norms. Then there is Naina Mathur from Hichki who has Tourette’s and she fights her own challenges to achieve her dreams. Everyone tells her that she cannot be a teacher and that being a teacher you have to be articulate enough to have conversations with your students, but she overcomes that challenge.”She also spoke about her newer films, saying, “And Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, which is Vedika's character, is about a mother who fights an entire nation to bring her children back. Even the one in Mardaani, Shivani Shivaji Roy, whose moral compass is very very clear and she can go to any lengths to get the perpetrator to justice. So these are all the important characters that I have played in my life. They all have a very special place in my life.”Rani also laughed as she fondly remembered her more fun and quirky roles. “Vimmi Saluja from Bunty Aur Babli! The word delulu started from her. She was absolutely a girl who was just so happy with herself. And Meenakshi from Aiyyaa, she’s another kind of delulu but such a beautiful and lovely kind of delulu who has her own solulu also,” she said, prompting laughs from the audience. When to watch Mardaani 3With Mardaani 3 releasing on January 30, Rani Mukerji continues to prove that her strength lies in portraying women who are complex, resilient, and real; each one a reflection of her own three-decade journey in Indian cinema!