Actress Rani Mukerji, who marked 30 years in the Hindi film industry with the release of Mardaani 3 on January 30, 2026, revisited her 2012 film Aiyyaa and highlighted how the quirky drama was ahead of its time in portraying female fantasy on screen.
In Aiyyaa, Rani starred as Meenakshi Deshpande opposite Prithviraj Sukumaran, portraying a Marathi woman who develops a fascination for a Tamil artist based on his scent and lets her imagination play out through exaggerated fantasies. Reflecting on the film’s narrative and audience perception, the 47-year-old actor described the experience as both unconventional and liberating for its time.
Rani told Times Now, “Imagine falling in love with somebody who smells good. It was too much fun and way ahead of its time.” She added that if Aiyyaa were released today, she believes younger audiences might have embraced it differently.
Addressing the film’s thematic stance, Rani said, “It was the first time we showed how a woman can fantasise. And it’s okay to do that, and I celebrate that on screen.”
While reflecting on the shooting experience, the actor spoke fondly of her time on set, particularly in Pune, where she worked with esteemed Marathi actors. She also pointed to choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant’s involvement, recalling the effort that went into performing various dance sequences. “Shooting it was one of the most fascinating times of my life, and of course shooting those amazing songs with my closest friend Vaibhavi… I had a blast. This film was a blast from Day 1,” she said.
Rani’s comments come as Mardaani 3, part of her long-running franchise, arrives in theatres. In the film, she reprises her role as DCP Shivani Shivaji Roy IPS.
More Pages: Aiyyaa Box Office Collection , Aiyyaa Movie Review
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