Rani Mukherji has just nudged out Aishwarya Rai to be
the only woman in male-dominated Bollywood to make Filmfare’s "Power
List" of the top ten most powerful people in the industry. One of the
most dependable actresses in Bollywood, Rani now has audiences anxiously
waiting to check out the perky star’s performance as a blind person in
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black, a film inspired by the life of
Helen Keller.
On the eve of the release of Black, the screen
diva explained to DANFES what attracted her to this challenging
role.
DA: How was it doing Black?
RM : Black is an entirely new experience for
me. Doing Black made me realize that we, the supposedly normal
and successful people, are insecure everyday, whereas the physically or
mentally challenged go through a different, far greater turmoil and are
much stronger as human beings. It has been a very draining, emotional
experience.
How was it working with Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
Rani:
I think Bhansali is the best man to make a
sensitive film. He knows what emotions are all about. He can set up the
mood for any scene. The entire credit goes to Sanjay. Black is
his vision. Sanjay has made a subject like Black look so
desirable. He is exemplary! Take it from me, making Black is not
everybody’s cup of tea.
DA: How did the offer come about?
RM: Well, Sanjay spoke to me. At first, I was
very apprehensive of doing the role. I asked him if he was sure that he
wanted me to do it. He said he knew what he was doing. But I was still
not confident [pauses].
DA: Go on ...
RM: I wondered how I will cope up with the
sign language, which I would have to learn. Plus the body language of a
person who is deaf, dumb and blind ... everything ... how they eat, how
they get up from the chair ... But Sanjay kept egging me on [smiles].
And here I am.
DA: How was it working with Bachchan?
RM: I love working with Amit Uncle. There
were instances when I would get stuck during a shot and Amit Uncle would
bail me out of it.
DA: You almost said "no" to Sanjay, initially. What
was actually petrifying you?
RM: Here is a girl who is a total handicap.
And I have to portray her convincingly. Also, Sanjay is a perfectionist.
He will not okay a mediocre take. So the focus to getting the shot right
was 100 fold. The moment a shot was over, I would look for the
expression on Sanjay’s face. At times, I feel we actors are like babies
who constantly need our directors around.
DA: After seeing Veer Zaara and now Black coming up,
it seems that you seeking out unconventional roles?
RM: Not at all. I’m very happy doing
conventional roles. That’s my forte. I’m doing Ravi Chopra’s Babul
where I play Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter-in-law. I’m doing Karan Johar’s
next film which is again very state-of-the-art. I’m also doing Bunty
Aur Babli with Shaad Ali which is a load of fun.
DA: But aren’t the producers going to consider you as
an arty actress, especially after Black?
RM: I don’t think so. Today’s times are
different. We don’t get trapped in an image. Film-makers are trying out
different and not-the-run-of-the-mill stuff. That’s all.
DA: Tell us about The Rising opposite Aamir Khan?
RM: I’m his love interest. I’m playing a
prostitute.
DA: There’s a lot of talk that you got Amisha’s role
slashed in The Rising?
RM: Cut the loose talk. There was no such
thing. I don’t know how and where such rumors begin.
DA: You were supposed to do Mira Nair’s The Namesake?
RM: I wanted to do it but I wanted to
complete it at one go. Initially itself I told Mira Nair that I’d have
date problems but she thought perhaps we could make it. I was committed
to doing Aditya Chopra’s film [being directed by Shaad Ali] and then
Karan Johar’s next during the same time. Since I’m very close to both
Aditya and Karan I couldn’t let their films suffer. We spoke about it
and parted amicably. Maybe there’ll be a next time. On date, I have lost
an opportunity to be directed by a female director for the first time in
my career.
DA: Coming back to Black. Do you think it will
succeed at the box-office?
RM: I hope it does. We have worked very hard.
Indian cinema-goers keep asking for something different. Sadly, it is
not accepted as and when it is given. I hope this time it does. Black
is a very sensitive film. If it does not click, I will be very hurt. But
all said and done, Black will remain the most special films in my
career.
Bollywood
is still reeling from a shocking incident that took place last week,
though not many are ready to talk about it . 
