Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji dedicated her National Film Award win, her first in a career spanning 30 years, to her late father Ram Mukherjee.
“I’m truly overwhelmed to receive my first National Award in my 30-year journey as an actor. This honour means the world to me, and I want to dedicate it to my late father, who always dreamt of this moment for me,” Rani said in a statement.
“I miss him deeply today, and I know it’s his blessing and my mother’s constant strength and inspiration that guided me through the role of Mrs Chatterjee,” the 47-year-old actress added, according to PTI.
Rani received the Best Actress award — for her role in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway — from President Droupadi Murmu at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony held in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Directed by Ashima Chibber, the 2023 film is based on the story of a real-life immigrant mother’s battle against the Norwegian law-enforcing authorities to gain custody of her children.
Describing the film as “a tribute to all the mothers around the world,” Rani said the role resonated with her personally as a mother.
“(The film) captures the unbreakable spirit of an immigrant mother, fighting against all odds in a foreign land to protect her child. As a mother myself, this role was incredibly personal. Through this film, we tried to honour the spirit of motherhood and I hope it serves as a reminder of the quiet power women carry within them every single day,” she added.
On the work front, Rani is gearing up for the third instalment of her crime drama film series Mardaani.