Rani Mukerji

Rani Mukerji (/rɑːniː mᵿkhərdʒiː/; born 21 March 1978) is an Indian actress. Through her Bollywood career, she has become one of the most high-profile celebrities in India, winning several awards, including seven Filmfare Awards. Her film roles have been cited as a significant departure from the traditional portrayal of women in Bollywood.

Although Mukerji was born into the Mukherjee-Samarth family, in which her parents and relatives were members of the Indian film industry, she did not aspire to pursue a career in film. However, while still a teenager she dabbled with acting by playing a supporting role in her father's Bengali language film Biyer Phool (1996) and later accepted a leading role in the 1997 social drama Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat on the insistence of her mother. She then began a full-time career in film and gained recognition for a supporting role in the romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). After this initial success in her career, Mukerji's films fared poorly at the box office for the next three years. Her career prospects improved when Yash Raj Films cast her as the star of the drama Saathiya (2002).