Bollywood star Rani Mukerji turns 40 years old today, and on the milestone occasion, the actor has penned a letter to her fans that highlights not just good memories from her 22-year journey in Bollywood, but also the challenges she has faced along the way.
#RaniMukerji shares a heartfelt letter on her 40th birthday. pic.twitter.com/GeGHa9fM6r
— Yash Raj Films (@yrf) March 21, 2018
Having worked in close to 50 movies over the years, Rani Mukerji barely took a break from the film industry after she tied the knot with Aditya Chopra in 2014. Post starring in crime thriller Mardaani, Rani Mukerji will return to the silver screen for the first time after the birth of her daughter Adira Chopra with Hichki, a movie in which she plays the role of Naina Mathur, a woman suffering from Tourette Syndrome who decides to become a teacher.
Shared on the official Twitter page of Yash Raj Films, the open letter has Rani Mukerji talk about the importance of breaking stereotypes via films, and her plans to continue changing mindsets about women in the future. Read the full note below.
It feels great to be 40! It feels great to have also worked for 22 years and having been incredibly lucky to get so much love and appreciation. Very rarely do we artists get material that can genuinely cause social change, cause change in attitude and thinking and I have been fortunate enough to get such content multiple times. I truly feel blessed. I thank all the film-makers who have trusted me with their characters. Your characters, your films, became my identity.
I realised very late that I was actually born to be an actor, that I was born to entertain. And I hope I have been able to do just that. As a woman, I must admit, it has not been an easy journey. I had to prove myself everyday. Actresses have to prove themselves everyday.
A woman has a short career span, a married woman's equity dies, women are not bankable commodities at the box office, 'female-centric' (I hate this word!!) films are huge risks, a married actress who is also a mother is the final nail in the coffin of her dreams, ambitions and aspirations - these are some of the discriminatory stereotypes that we have to live with and try to overcome every single day.
For a woman, the disparity with a man is huge and glaring in this industry. We are judged for our looks, our dancing skills, our height, our voice, our acting, how we carry ourselves every time we step out of the house - we have to be the best and yet we are thought to be extremely dispensable. I have been asking my friends to talk about their weaknesses and how they overcame them. On my birthday, I cannot skirt these massive 'hichkis' that my fellow actresses and I have faced/face and will face every day.
I have tried to take on this sexist stereotype by coming back to acting after my marriage and motherhood. And I promise you, I will continue working and battling these stereotypes with all my fellow stunning, beautiful, kind and talented actresses and hope to see our society and the film industry mature further. I can already see the changes for the better and it fills me with joy. It makes my journey my career meaningful. I want to see many more victories for all of us. It's about time. I will be back soon - to try and entertain you, to push the envelope again. Till then, love you all.
Yours forever
Rani
