As Rani Mukerji turns a year older, the Hichki actor penned and shared an earnest open letter. The 40 year-old actor has used the note to talk about the sexism prevalent in the film industry, and how she aims to overcome the many obstacles, the many hichkis, that have come her way.
Read the letter here:
Rani goes on to talk, not just of the discrimination women face in Bollywood, but also about overcoming their own shortcomings.
“It feels great to be 40! It feels great to have also worked for 22 years and have 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.”Rani Mukerji, Actor
Rani mentions how she was born to be an actor, even though she took some time to realise it.
“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 - there are some of the discriminatory stereotypes that we have to live with and try to overcome every single day.”Rani Mukerji, Actor
Along with battling discrimination, she hopes to come back with a bang, every time she is put down.
“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.”Rani Mukerji, Actor
She hopes to make her journey meaningful, and hopes each and every female actor out there can do the same.
“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 of my fellow stunning, beautiful, kind, and talented actresses and hope to see our society and the film industry mature, 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.”Rani Mukerji, Actor
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