Rani Mukerji Honoured With Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award; Says, “Cinema Is A Deep Emotion For Me”

Rani Mukerji receives the prestigious Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards ceremony in Mumbai.

Rani Mukerji Honoured With Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award

The honour holds a deeply personal significance for Rani, who was born and brought up in Mumbai and has spent nearly three decades building her career in Indian cinema. Speaking on receiving the award named after legendary filmmaker and actor Raj Kapoor, Rani said, “Majhyasathi Maharashtra fakt ek rajya nahi.” Maharashtra majhi janmabhoomi aahe. Majhi karmabhoomi aahe. Ani majhya ayushyacha ek avibhajya bhaag aahe.’’

Reflecting on what made the recognition particularly special, she further said, “I think that’s what makes this moment truly special for me since I’m receiving this recognition from my very own people and from the place I belong to. To receive an award named after the legend of Indian cinema Raj Kapoor ji is, in itself, hugely humbling. And I truly hope I can live up to this honour.”

Rani: “Mumbai Has Given Me My Identity”

Rani also spoke about the profound connection she shares with Mumbai, the city that has witnessed her journey both on and off screen. She said, “Mumbai has given me my identity. It has given me an audience. It has given me a career. And it has been my home, my safe place, my everything. So this award will hold a very special place in my heart because whenever I look at it, I will not just see an award. I will see my Mumbai, my Maharashtra.”

Rani On Cinema

Known for portraying strong, layered and resilient women through films such as Black, No One Killed Jessica, Hichki, the Mardaani franchise and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, Rani has consistently gravitated towards stories and characters that resonate with her. Speaking about her approach to cinema, she said, “I have always silently worked to represent the powerful girls and women of India through cinema that has its heart in the right place.”

She added, “I chose characters that felt truthful, that I felt instinctively drawn towards for their story, their journey and their resilience. Characters who had courage, characters who had flaws and characters who refused to disappear into the background. Women who were never waiting for someone else to rescue them.”

For Rani, cinema has always been more than a profession. Speaking about the larger role of the film industry in Maharashtra, she said, “I have never considered cinema merely a profession. For me, cinema is a deep emotion. And Maharashtra is the home of that emotion.”

She also acknowledged the contribution of the thousands of artists, technicians, filmmakers and storytellers who make Maharashtra one of the world’s most influential homes of cinema. “There are thousands and thousands of people here who wake up every morning with one dream: to tell a story. And those stories don’t remain here. They travel from Mumbai to Maharashtra, from Maharashtra to India and from India to the entire world. That is the magic and power of the film industry that thrives in this state.”

Rani Mukerji On Maharashtra, Its People

Rani dedicated the honour to Maharashtra and its people. The actress said, “So, with the deepest gratitude, I dedicate this award to Maharashtra. To its people, its artists, its technicians, its filmmakers. To the entire film fraternity that calls this beautiful state home. And to the generations of storytellers who came before us and made it possible for a girl like me to dream.”

The Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award recognises Rani Mukerji’s significant contribution to Indian cinema and her enduring association with Mumbai and Maharashtra, a state that has been at the heart of India’s cinematic journey for generations.

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Akankshya Mukherjee

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