It was so lovely to be with everyone. The last segment on stage, with everyone from the film fraternity, was so beautiful.” That is how Rani Mukerji commenced this chat with t2 a day after being presented with the prestigious She Power Award at the 10th edition of The Telegraph She Awards at JW Marriott Kolkata on February 11. Fresh from the success of Mardaani 3, the star-actor spoke to us about her time in Calcutta, what Mardaani means to her, and more.

The Telegraph She Awards apart, what were the highlights of your Calcutta trip this time?

It is always special coming to Calcutta. But over the last few years, I have not been able to spend even a night in the city. That is because my life has changed — being married, becoming a mother, changing priorities — and taking time out for Calcutta has not happened.

My wish is to bring Adira (daughter) to Calcutta for a few days and show her the city like how I saw it in my childhood. These are her roots as well and doing a trip with her to Calcutta is on my bucket list. I want to take her to all the authentic Bengali food places... the ones that I have enjoyed eating at and continue to do so.

Actually, not just Bengali food... Calcutta has an array of cuisines that I want her to experience. I want to make her eat the Chinese food in the city which is typically Calcutta type Chinese, and the Mughlai food, especially the chicken bharta in the dhabas. The rolls, the phuchka... everything! (Laughs) I have to make this plan happen!

Your childhood memories in the city must be very special...

Yes, they are. Things have become a little bittersweet because my Dida has passed away and two of my mashis too. I feel a little sad now when I come to Calcutta. I was quite emotional meeting my mashi (actress Debasree Roy) this time. My other mashi, who has passed away, was someone I was very close to. This time, I experienced mixed emotions in Calcutta. I was happy because I was with you guys and I was elated with the honour and the love you all showered on me. I was sad because my mashi is not there anymore... talking about her is very tough for me. She would have been so happy seeing me win the award.

When people close to you pass, there is a void because more than anything, you realise that you can’t share the moments that you experience in the present as well as in the future with them. Like my mom’s 75th birthday... it would have been so nice to have my mashi present.

Coming to Calcutta and visiting Kalighat has always been on your list. Is that non-negotiable for you?

It has to always, always happen. Even if I am very hard-pressed for time, I will make it a point to go to Kalighat. That is because since childhood, I have always gone to Kalighat, as well as to Kamakhya (in Guwahati). My mother is a big believer in Maa Kali and my dad was a Shiv bhakt. In my family, there is a combination of ‘Shiv Shakti’ and I have always had a very strong connection with both these forms.

Actually, I like going to temples because vacations in childhood meant that for me. Last year, I managed to go to Kedarnath also. For me, going to these places feels like a very big high. Mummy has always taken me to religious places and it is a very normal thing that is ingrained within me. It makes me feel good, it calms my mind and heart. The next place I want to go to is Jagannath Puri. I have such wonderful memories from my childhood there but I haven’t been able to visit it in a very long time.

Coming to The Telegraph She Awards, what was it like interacting on stage with so many members of the Tollywood film fraternity?

It was so wonderful. I always love meeting Bumbada and Koel (Mallick, who moderated a chat with Rani at the awards) spoke so well, and with so much love and admiration for me. The most beautiful feeling is that they think I am one of them, and that makes me feel very special.

I am a probashi Bangali born and brought up in Mumbai but my roots are also in Calcutta and that is what I was made to feel so beautifully on The Telegraph She Awards stage. I am as much a Bengali as everyone else is, from my heart and soul. And so when the people of Calcutta accept me with so much warmth, love and pride, it truly makes me feel I am Banglar meye.

Sharing space with one’s fraternity is always special. To receive acceptance and love from them was very special for me. I can feel the love in the way they speak to me. It is something that I am always grateful for.

Congratulations for the success of Mardaani 3. What kind of audience feedback has come your way for this outing of Shivani Shivaji Roy?

The primary emotion is that they are all proud of me. That is something that I have earned over the number of years I have spent in this industry.

I am also grateful that so many of them have come to the cinemas to see me and my film at a time when releasing a film on the big screen has become a challenge for many. That the audience is coming to see my work and showing their love for the franchise in such a strong way, has been very overwhelming.

The nice thing is that my fellow actors are happy for me and are proud of me. When you support each other in the journey of cinema, that is the real victory for me. I am also happy about the fact that people are seeing and acknowledging the resilience that I have continued with on this journey for over 30 years. How I have accepted and done roles which are not necessarily those that would be an obvious choice for an actress. To be able to consistently do that in mainstream cinema is something that they are applauding.

After the first Mardaani film came out, we saw a surge in the number of women cop characters, especially on OTT. Before we did Mardaani 3, that made us wonder whether people would still be interested to come and watch this on the big screen or has their appetite for such characters been satisfied on OTT already. That was a big question for us, and I am happy that the answer from the audiences has been positive.

That possibly has to do with the fact that Shivani Shivaji Roy is a unique cop, she is not a cookie-cutter character at all...

Shivani has now become my twin. I know her so well by now. It has become my duty to carry her through three films now. What I love about Shivani is that she is very real, and that is because she is inspired by real- life women in uniform.

All these women — their personal, their professional — are within Shivani. There is a lot more to being a woman in uniform than what meets the eye. Having to take care of all aspects of life means that even 24 hours feels short for them. These are all the things that I have tried to incorporate into Shivani’s character. I always wanted to give them the dignity they deserve, the true heroism that they should be known for. Being a mardaani means having a certain jazba, spirit and courage which Shivani does.

It is a huge responsibility for me to play this character. I am conscious of many things when I play Shivani — whether it is my gait, my posture, how I am delivering my lines or interrogating a criminal or being compassionate towards a victim. A lot goes into playing her.