Rani Mukerji On Her First National Award Win: ‘A 30-Year Journey, Finally Validated’
Rani Mukerji won her first-ever National Film Award for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, calling it a deeply emotional moment and dedicating the honour to all the incredible mothers of the world.
Rani Mukerji has added yet another prestigious honour to her name, winning the National Film Award for Best Actress for her emotionally powerful role in 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway'. The winners of the 71st National Film Awards, which celebrated the finest work in Indian cinema from 2023, were announced on Friday.
The Ashima Chibber directorial, which hit theatres in March 2023, saw Mukerji take on the role of a determined Indian mother fighting a foreign system to regain custody of her children. The film was inspired by the real-life ordeal of Anurup Bhattacharya and Sagarika Chakraborty, an Indian couple whose children were taken by Norwegian child welfare services in 2011.
Rani Mukerji calls it a validation of her career
Reacting to the honour, Mukerji shared her heartfelt gratitude in a statement:
“I’m overwhelmed to have won the National Award for my performance in ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’. Incidentally, this is the first ever National Award in my 30 year career. As an actor, I have been fortunate to have some incredible films in my body of work and have got so much love for them. I thank the National Award jury for honouring my work in ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’. I share this moment with the entire team of the film, my producers Nikkhil Advani, Monisha and Madhu, my director Ashima Chibber, and everyone who worked on this truly special project that celebrated the resilience of motherhood.”
Rani Mukerji dedicates win to mothers, says role was deeply emotional and personal
The actress went on to reflect on what this recognition means to her after three decades in the industry.
“I dedicate my National Award to all the incredible mothers of this world. There is nothing like a mother’s love and her ferocity to protect her own. The story of this Indian immigrant mother who went all out for her child and took on a nation shook me deeply.. a mother's love for her child is unconditional.. I realised this when I had my own. So, this win, this film feels deeply emotional and personal. A mother can move mountains for her children and also make the world a better place. This film tried to show this.”
Rani Mukerji thanks fans
She also thanked her fans for their unwavering support through the years.
“It also feels the apt time to again thank all my fans, from across the world, who have relentlessly supported me through thick and thin for these 30 years. Your unconditional love and support is everything that I have ever needed to stay motivated, to show up at work every day and to deliver performances that have entertained you. You’ve embraced every role, every character, every story I’ve had the good fortune to bring to life. So, without you I would be nobody today.”
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