With Bengali actor Debashree Roy for an aunt and Kajol for a cousin, it should come as little surprise that Rani Mukerji found herself drawn towards the big screen. After a critically acclaimed Bollywood debut in the social drama, Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat (1997), she decided that she was here to stay.
Following up on the promise she showed in her debut, Mukerji delivered two blockbusters in the same year—Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) and Ghulam (1998). Over the next decade, she went on to cement her status as the archetypal Yash Raj heroine with several hits to her credit, including Saathiya (2002), Hum Tum (2004), Veer Zaara (2004) and Bunty Aur Babli (2005) among others. Last seen in the gritty thriller Mardaani (2014), Mukerji took a timeout from the silver screen to tie the knot in a low-key ceremony in Italy with Aditya Chopra and welcomed their daughter, Adira, the next year. Here, we take a look at Rani Mukerji's beauty evolution over the years.
Rani Mukerji: The golden years
With a lush halo of waves and a flawless glow, Mukerji made heads turn when she stepped into the industry. Through the years, a lot has changed, but the one feature that remains a constant as her makeup favourite are her Bambi eyes. Accentuating her best feature, she's tried different variations of the smoky eye, glittery shadows and long lashes that have always complemented her peepers.
In 1998, Mukerji had shoulder-length strands and kohl-rimmed eyes as she played Tina Malhotra in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Her middle-parted hair and dark-lined lips were a signature at the time. In the early '00s, she leaned firmly into the zeitgeist, frequently wearing frosty pink lipstick, lots of lip liner, light eyeshadow and shaped brows. In 2005, she attended the IIFA awards in a pink and blue sari, pairing it with purple lipstick and larger-than-life lashes. In 2006 and beyond, Mukerji began favouring kohl on her lower lash line as well, with blush and highlighter becoming a major addition to the repertoire. She began wearing her hair straighter, choosing that over the curls and waves of the previous years. In 2011, Mukerji attended the premiere of Shrek 3D, adding dramatic kohl and a smoky eye to the mix.
Step up
But it was only in 2014 that the star really experimented with colours—think deep burgundies and dark magentas. With each year, Rani Mukerji has upped her beauty game, but 2015 really was her year when it comes to acing her makeup—from chiseled highlighted cheeks and rosy lips to a bold red pucker and a Grecian updo—she tried it all. Making a statement at the Vogue Beauty Awards 2015 red carpet, she opted for subtle smoky eyes, a peachy pink lip and added the final bridal touch with starkly visible sindoor.
In 2017, Mukerji made a comeback with kohl-rimmed eyes and her signature radiant glow in tow as she began working on comedy film Hitchki. The next year, she attended Sonam Kapoor Ahuja's wedding reception with deep, burgundy lips and lightly lined eyes, proving that she was pulling inspiration from the mid 2010s. She went more late ‘90s at Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s wedding, choosing a light glossy lip gloss and copper eyeshadow. In 2018 and 2019, she went the bronzed route, while adding bright matte colours to her looks as she promoted Mardaani 2. As she gears up to shoot Bunty Aur Bubli 2, Mukerji can be spotted about town in matte finish nude lips, soft smoky eyes and messy waves, served au naturel.
Flip through the photos below to follow Rani Mukerji's beauty evolution over the years.
