Rani Mukerji says Aditya Chopra was shocked to see Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway

Rani Mukerji says she took inspiration from her mother for her upcoming film Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway. Directed by Mere Dad Ki Maruti fame Ashima Chibber, the film is the story of a mother’s fight against an entire country. The film is based on a true story of NRI couple Sagarika Bhattacharya and Anuj Bhattacharya who rocked the cause of children and human rights internationally. Read also: Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor smile again for a chat show. view photos

Rani said that while she had not met Sagarika during the making of the film, her interpretation of the character is based on her mother Krishna Mukherjee. “As an actor, I wanted to bring my own interpretation to the character. I didn’t want too much stuff and people should find similarities between my role and the real person.”

“Ashima had several tapes of Sagarika recorded, and I had seen her for some references, but the rest of the character is actually based on my mother. She is the most Bengali person I know… whether she tells us her Haathon se khana khiye hai, tikka hum par..I have taken strength and inspiration from my mother.

Actor and producer Nikkhil Advani was in conversation with filmmaker Karan Johar. Rani said that Nikhil approached her with a one-line script and did not give her a chance to say ‘no’. She said, “I told Nikhil that he would not be able to deal with my tantrums. But Nikhil accepted all my conditions and didn’t give me any chance to say ‘no’ to the film.”

Praising his director Aashima, the 44-year-old actor said the filmmaker was passionate about the subject and researched it thoroughly. “When I spoke to Ashima, I realized she was very passionate about the story as she spoke to Sagarika and she was very attached to the subject. That love translates into the film.”

Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is produced by Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani and Nikkhil Advani of Emme Entertainment and Zee Studios.

Nikhil said it was important for him to highlight the stories of Indians settled abroad. Based on the evacuation of Indians settled in Kuwait during Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invasion of Kuwait, the filmmaker made 2016’s Airlift. He said, ‘There are many such stories which are difficult to believe. Even when I made the airlift, I found it very hard to believe that there were 170,000 Indians trapped there. Here too, it is an incredible story. Many such unknown stories happen to Indians abroad, and they need to be highlighted.”

Rani recalled how her husband, Yash Raj Films chief Aditya Chopra, was “surprised and shaken” after watching the film. “Adi was in shock after watching the film. He was deeply moved and I don’t think I have seen him in any film. Last time, he was so shaken, when Yash uncle passed away.

“He’s a parent today, so it felt like him. He was so sweet and he hugged me like I was his child. He said, ‘Well done,’ and I said, ‘Thank you.’ It was such a moment, because Adi praises me behind my back. I think he could not contain himself and got emotional watching the film.” Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway is slated to release in cinema halls on 17 March.