The former playback singer, married to Filmalaya Studios co-founder Ram Mukerji, died on Tuesday afternoon as her family asked for privacy.
Krishna Mukerji, the mother of actress Rani Mukerji, died on Tuesday afternoon. She was 75. The family confirmed her passing through a statement, without disclosing what led to her death.
"With heavy hearts, we share that Rani Mukerji's mother Mrs Krishna Mukerji, 75, passed away this afternoon," the statement read. "The family is deeply grateful for your love, prayers, and support, and respectfully requests privacy during this time of immense grief."
No word yet on the last rites or whether there will be any public tribute. That's the family's call, and they've made clear they'd rather not have it made for them right now.
Krishna Mukerji was a playback singer herself, before she became known simply as Rani's mother. Bollywood Shaadis reported she'd lent her voice to "Idd Ke Din Gale Mil Le Raja" from the 1982 film Teesri Aankh. She was married to Ram Mukerji, the filmmaker who co-founded Filmalaya Studios, a production house with its own long list of credits in Hindi cinema going back decades. Their two children are Rani and Raja Mukerji, the latter a producer.
The family's footprint in the industry runs wider still. Krishna Mukerji was the maternal aunt of Kajol, which makes Rani and Kajol second cousins, both descended from the Mukerji filmmaking line that includes Ram Mukerji and his cousin Shomu Mukerji, Kajol's father.
There's a small, telling story that's circulated about the two women, one Bollywood Shaadis attributed to a 2025 interview Rani gave. She said it was her mother who first nudged her toward acting, and her mother who tried to pull her back out of it almost as fast. After Rani's first screen test, Krishna reportedly told the producer he'd be making a mistake. "I think you'll ruin your film by taking my daughter," Rani recalled her mother saying, "You'll go through losses. Better you don't take her." The producer, keen on casting Rani for Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat, went ahead anyway. Whatever Krishna saw or didn't see in that screen test, her daughter went on to build one of the more enduring careers in mainstream Hindi cinema across nearly three decades.
Rani is married to filmmaker Aditya Chopra. They have a daughter, Adira.
For now, the family has said what it wants to say and asked for the rest to be left alone. Condolences from the industry are expected to come in privately over the next few days rather than in public statements, in keeping with what the Mukerjis have asked for. Whether there's any further word from the family, on rites or otherwise, remains to be seen.
Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.