Rani Mukerji Birthday Special: From ‘Hichki’ to ‘Black’, women-centric films of the superstar

Rani Mukerji Pic/Stills from Hichki, Black

Rani Mukerji celebrates her birthday on March 21. The actress, who debuted in 1996 with 'Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat', has come a long way in her on-screen works. Although she commenced her career in cinema with a film about a sensitive issue, it didn't go down well as one of her best in filmography. Over the years she rose to fame as the go-to romantic heroine, but lately, she has been dabbling into women-centric narratives. Here are some of our best picks on her special day.

Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway

The film saw Rani as an immigrant mother who fights against all odds to win back the custody of her children. Directed by Ashima Chibber the film also featured Neena Gupta, Jim Sarbh, and Bengali actor Anirban Bhattacharya.

Mardaani 2

In the flick 'Mardaani 2', Rani is reprising the role of the fearless and committed Superintendent of Police, Shivani Shivaji Roy. The edge-of-the-seat thriller will see Rani in a race against time to capture a brutal serial rapist who systematically targets women. She had delivered a knock-out performance in the super hit and hugely acclaimed prequel, 'Mardaani', in which she took on the kingpin of a child trafficking racket.

Hichki

An Indian adaptation of Brad Cohen's autobiography, 'Front of the Class', the film follows a woman (played by Rani Mukerji) with Tourette syndrome landing a teaching job in an elite school and how she turns her weakness into her biggest strength. Rani's character is faced with strong resistance from her students who belong to the economically weaker section of society. She, however, is determined as a teacher to take her students along on the path of learning.

No One Killed Jessica

Directed by Rajkumar Gupta, the film is based on the murder of Jessica Lal. Rani essays the role of a journalist in the film who seeks justice for Jessica. The film featured Vidya Balan as Sabrina Lal.

Black

Helmed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, 'Black' was released in the year 2005 and starred Amitabh and Rani Mukerji in the lead roles. Rani and Amitabh received a lot of appreciation for their performance in the film from fans and critics. It was also declared a blockbuster hit at the box office. The film is about a stubborn teacher, who helps a girl with visual and hearing impairment, explore her potential as she takes on the challenge of graduating from college.

(With inputs from ANI)