By SUBHASH K. JHA
Rani Mukerji talks about her experiences on the sets of ‘Mujhse Dosti Karoge’
MUMBAI : Actress Rani Mukherjee says she has no assignments on hand after her two forthcoming films with debutant directors Kunal Kohli and Shaad Ali.
“It is true,” says Mukherjee, who stole a million hearts doing ‘Aati Kya Khandala’ with Aamir Khan in ‘Ghulam’, as she spoke from her home which she shares with her parents, brother and sister-in-law. “Kohli’s ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ and Shaad Ali’s ‘Saathiya’ are my last two assignments for now. ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ is very crucial for me. “For the first time I have two releases coming up. After that I am not even shooting for anything else, as I have not made any other commitments.
“My co-stars Hrithik (Roshan) and Kareena (Kapoor) have other films on the floor. But I have to live, breathe and eat ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ I have no choice,” Mukherjee told Indo Asian News Service in an interview. The Bengali actress, who has Kajol for a cousin, says she suddenly feels like a newcomer all over again. “After so many years, I feel as though ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ is my first film. When I did my first film ‘Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat’ for producer Salim Akhtar, I had nothing in hand. “Once again history repeats itself. Except that, then I was more concerned about my father’s health — he was undergoing his second bypass surgery — than my career. But now I know how important it is for ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ to do well.” She says she owes her career to Salim Akhtar. “‘Raja Ki...’ was special because it brought me recognition within the industry. That’s how I got ‘Ghulam’ and ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’.
“You know what is the best part of my career? All the people I have worked with want to work with me again.” Mukherjee’s face lights up when she talks about her co-stars in ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ “Hrithik (Roshan), Kareena (Kapoor) and I took the film’s title very seriously. “There was a lot of dosti (friendship) happening on the sets, though we didn’t carry our friendship home because we don’t have the time to cultivate friendships beyond working hours. I’m a very friendly soul and see no harm in being friendly with my co-stars. During ‘Mujhse Dosti...’, I shared a wonderful rapport not just with Kareena (Kapoor), Hrithik (Roshan) and my director Kunal (Kohli) but also with the cameraman and his assistant. One of Kunal’s assistants was in school with me.”
“The atmosphere on the sets was very warm and easygoing. Everyone was having a good time. Kunal is not the kind of director who orchestrates stressful situations on the sets.”
Mukherjee says she was paired with older actors like Anil Kapoor, Shah Rukh Khan and Govinda earlier and ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ is a welcome change since it is a young film but not a teenybopper romance.
“We are young but not immature characters. Have you noticed how savvy the youngsters are getting?” “I feel kids today are more mature for their age than we used to be when we were younger.” She says she had a pleasant shooting with Kapoor who has a reputation of being uncomfortable with his female co-stars. Mukherjee says her earlier friendship with Preity Zinta during the making of ‘Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega’ was blown out of proportion by Mumbai’s film press. “I would say I was friendlier with Kareena during ‘Mujhse Dosti...’ I believe in having a blast with my colleagues while shooting. “But I never forget that we are basically here to entertain audiences, not ourselves.”