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Rani Mukerji’s Bio. Age, Family, Movies, Career, Awards & More

Rani Mukerji is one of Bollywood’s most respected actresses. She has built a career that spans nearly three decades

With powerful performances, diverse roles, and consistent critical acclaim, she remains a significant figure in Indian cinema.

Her journey from early life to national recognition is inspiring for anyone who follows films, performance, or popular culture.

Rani Mukerji
Rani Mukerji (Image: Source)

Also Read: Farhan Akhtar’s Bio, Age, Movies, Career, Family and Net Worth

Rani Mukerji’s Early Life and Background

  • Birth: Rani Mukerji was born on 21 March 1978 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India.1

  • Family: She comes from a film background. Her father, Ram Mukherjee, was a film director and one of the founders of Filmalaya Studios. Her mother, Krishna Mukerjee, was a playback singer. She has an older brother, Raja Mukerji, who is a producer/director. She is also related to many in the film industry: her aunt Debashree Roy is a Bengali actress; her cousin is Kajol; another cousin is Ayan Mukerji.2

  • Education: She attended Maneckji Cooper High School in Juhu, Mumbai. She graduated with a degree in Home Science from SNDT Women’s University.

  • Early interests: Despite growing up in a film family, she was initially uninterested in acting. She has said there were “already too many actresses at home” and she wanted to distinguish herself.

Rani Mukerji
Rani Mukerji (Image: Source)

Rani Mukerji’s Debut and Breakthrough

  • Rani Mukerji began acting as a teenager. Her first film was a Bengali film, Biyer Phool, directed by her father in 1996. She also debuted in Hindi the same year with Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat.

  • Her first commercial success came with Ghulam (1998), opposite Aamir Khan. Around the same time, she starred in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) which was a huge hit and marked her breakthrough in mainstream audiences.

Rani Mukerji
Rani Mukerji

Rise, Style, and Major Films

Over the years, Rani Mukerji showed her range by doing diverse roles, romantic, dramatic, intense, flawed characters. Some of her notable films and roles:

  • Saathiya (2002) — helped cement her as a leading actress.

  • Hum Tum (2004), Veer-Zaara (2004) — romantic hits.

  • Yuva (2004) — played a more complex role.

  • Black (2005) — one of her most acclaimed roles. She played a woman who is both deaf and blind, delivering a powerful performance.

  • Bunty Aur Babli (2005) — showing her ability to do comedy and light-hearted roles.

  • Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) — ensemble film.

Later Career, Comebacks and Recent Successes

  • After many years of success, there were periods when her films did not do as well, or critics were mixed. She took a break after becoming a mother, which is common in the film industry, especially for women.

  • She made a strong comeback with Hichki (2018), which became one of her highest-grossing films.

  • More recently, she starred in Mardaani 2 (2019) and Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway (2023), which drew both audience and critical acclaim.

Awards, Recognition and First National Award

  • Rani Mukerji has won numerous awards over her career. She has several Filmfare Awards for Best Supporting Actress, Best Actress, and Critics categories.

  • One landmark moment: In 2025, she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. This was her first ever National Film Award, despite being in the industry for nearly 30 years.

    Rani Mukerji
    Rani Mukerji (Image: Source)

Also Read: Vidya Balan’s Bio, Age, Family, Movies, Career, Awards & More

Personal Life

  • Rani Mukerji married filmmaker Aditya Chopra in 2014.

  • They have a daughter named Adira, born in December 2015.3

  • She is known to be private about her personal life. She does not often share much about her home life or beliefs in the media.

Off-Screen Work

  • She is admired for her ability to carry roles with emotional depth. Many of her best performances are in emotionally intense films.

  • She has been involved in philanthropic work. She supports causes around women and children.

  • Her voice, her way of speaking, subtle gestures are often praised — she is not an actress who relies only on glamour, but more on acting craft.

Rani Mukerji
Rani Mukerji

Stats Table

Fact Detail
Full Name Rani Mukerji
Date of Birth 21 March 1978 
Place of Birth Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra, India 
Family Background Father: Ram Mukherjee (director), Mother: Krishna Mukherjee (singer); Brother: Raja Mukherji; Cousins: Kajol, etc. 
Education Maneckji Cooper High School; SNDT Women’s University, Home Science degree 
Debut 1996, Biyer Phool (Bengali); Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat in Hindi 
Breakthrough Film(s) Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Ghulam (1998) 
Major Films Black, Veer-Zaara, Hum Tum, Yuva, Hichki, Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway etc. 
Number of Filmfare Awards Eight wins (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Critics etc.) 
First National Film Award 2025, Best Actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway
Marital Status Married to Aditya Chopra since 2014 
Children One daughter, Adira, born in December 2015 

FAQ’s

Q: How old is Rani Mukerji?

A: She was born in March 1978, so as of 2025 she is 47 years old.

Q: What major awards has she won?

A: She has won many Filmfare Awards in different categories (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Critics categories). Most recently, in 2025 she won her very first National Film Award for Best Actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. 4

Q: What is Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway about, and why is it important for her career?

A: The film is based on a true story of an Indian mother who fights a foreign legal system to regain custody of her children. Rani’s role in that film won her her first National Film Award. It is seen as a milestone because it validates her long body of work.

Q: Has she taken breaks from acting?

A: Yes. For example after her daughter’s birth, she slowed down her work. But she returned with strong roles like in Hichki.

 

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Q: What are some of her best-known films?

A: Among her best known are Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Black, Veer-Zaara, Hum Tum, Bunty Aur Babli, Saathiya, Mardaani, Hichki, Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway.

Q: What makes Rani Mukerji stand out among her peers?

A: Versatility in her roles, her ability to portray complex and emotional characters, her consistency over many years, and finally, a recognition that came in the form of her National Award after decades. She is known more for acting skill than just glamour.

Conclusion

Rani Mukerji’s journey in Bollywood is a story of talent, resilience, and evolution. From her humble debut in the mid-1990s to becoming one of the most respected actresses in Indian cinema, she has consistently pushed herself to deliver performances that balance both depth and relatability.

Her ability to portray strong, emotional, and complex characters has made her stand apart from many of her contemporaries.

Over the years, she has faced highs and lows, but her determination to stay relevant and true to her craft has kept her at the forefront of Hindi cinema. Films like Black, Hum Tum, Hichki, and Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway prove her versatility and enduring impact.

Winning her first National Film Award in 2025 is not only a personal milestone but also a recognition of her decades of hard work and dedication.

Today, Rani Mukerji is admired not only as an actress but also as a role model who balances professional success with personal life gracefully.

Her legacy inspires aspiring actors to pursue meaningful roles and proves that true artistry always finds its place in history.

Also Read: Sunny Deol’s Bio, Age, Movies, Family, Career, Net Worth & More

  1. en.wikipedia.org
  2. britannica
  3. thecityceleb
  4. ndtv
Kankana Biswas
Kankana Biswas

I'm a strategic journalism graduate with expertise on socio-political issues, business, and finance. I'm a self-made entrepreneur, and have contributed to various news/media outlets since 2015. I also received degree of journalism from the Delhi College of Arts and Commerce.

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