Veteran actress Rani Mukerji on Thursday reflected on a painful early-career experience, revealing how it upset her when the makers of her 1998 film Ghulam decided to dub her voice with another artist. She also expressed heartfelt gratitude to filmmaker Karan Johar for ensuring she retained her own voice in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, released the same year.
The National Award-winning actor made these remarks during a fireside chat with Johar, where she spoke candidly about her three-decade-long journey in cinema. Rani is currently gearing up for the release of her upcoming film Mardaani 3, slated to hit theatres on January 30.
Recalling the dubbing decision in Ghulam, Rani said it was co-star Aamir Khan who informed her about it during the shoot. As a newcomer, she felt she had little choice, especially since sharing screen space with a superstar like Aamir was a major opportunity at the time. She later learned that the decision had been taken by director Vikram Bhatt, producer Mukesh Bhatt, and Aamir, with Aamir being asked to communicate it to her.
Rani said Aamir explained the decision by stressing that certain sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the good of the film. He cited Sridevi as an example, pointing out that her voice had been dubbed in several films without affecting her stardom. Though the explanation made sense, Rani admitted the decision was emotionally difficult for her, even if she chose not to express her disappointment openly.
The actress became emotional while recounting how Karan Johar stood by her during Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. She recalled that during the trailer shoot, Johar asked her about the dubbing in Ghulam and later told her that he loved her voice and wanted her to dub for his film. Rani credited that moment as pivotal in helping her retain her vocal identity on screen.
Born to late filmmaker Ram Mukherjee and playback singer Krishna Mukherjee, Rani made her acting debut with Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat (1996). Over the years, she has built a formidable career across genres, earning acclaim for films such as Saathiya, Black, Hum Tum, Bunty Aur Babli, No One Killed Jessica, Mardaani, and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, establishing herself as a leading force in both mainstream and women-centric cinema.
Rani also shared that despite coming from a film family, her parents never envisioned her becoming a major actor and initially hoped she would marry young. She revealed that her debut film came at a time when her family was facing financial difficulties, though she only understood that perspective much later.
Johar revealed that it was Aditya Chopra, Rani’s now husband, who recommended her for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai after several leading actresses turned down the role. He recalled being struck by her presence in the trailer of Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat and immediately sensing her star potential.
Reflecting on the support she received early in her career from filmmakers and actors like Aditya Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and Karan Johar, Rani said she only realised much later how pivotal their faith in her had been in shaping her journey.
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