‘Aditya Chopra Is The Best Brother-In-Law Anyone Could Ask For’

‘Rani’s life begins and ends with her family. The way she takes care of her parents, and the love she has for my children is incredible.’

After stepping away from acting for 16 years to raise her children, Jyoti Mukerji returned to the screen with little more than faith in her craft.

Today, she’s winning applause for her moving performance in the Sunny Deol-Akshaye Khanna-Netflix film Ikka.

In a heartfelt conversation, with Patcy N/Rediff Jyoti reflects on the film’s emotional demands, the feedback she’s been getting, as well as her special bond with sister-in-law Rani Mukerji — Jyoti is married to Rani’s brother Raja Mukherjee — and brother-in-law Aditya Chopra.

‘If I started thinking from my daughter’s perspective, my reaction would be very different’

In Ikka, you play a mother, whose daughter is battling for her life in hospital and eventually dies. Did that leave you emotionally drained?

Yes, sometimes. The emotions do linger on, but it’s not depressing because, as actors, we know how to get into a character and come out of it.

That said, it does take an emotional toll because you’re constantly trying to feel sad and relive the moment where your daughter has been hurt.

It’s especially difficult during silent scenes. In dialogue scenes, you’re speaking your lines, emoting, and venting those emotions.

But in silent shots, you have to suppress everything while still conveying those feelings. So you have to stay with that emotion longer, and it can become overwhelming.

You have a daughter, Myieshaa. Did this film make you more worried about her well-being whenever she steps out?

My daughter is 20.

To be fair, of course, as a mother, I’m constantly worried about who she’s going out with, when she’ll be back, who’s dropping her home, and where she is. I think that’s true for all parents, we always want to be on top of everything.

But if you ask me how that connects to the film, when I take up a role, I don’t try to draw emotional inspiration from my personal life. I just try to stay in character.

If I started thinking from my daughter’s perspective, my reaction would be very different.

‘I had butterflies in my stomach while working with Sunny Deol’

Your reaction in Ikka is underplayed and understated.

In real life, I’m absolutely not that person. I’d be very vocal. I’d probably be hyperventilating.

What happens is, not just in this film but even in my television shows, the costume plays a huge role for me. The moment I get into the character’s costume, I disconnect from myself.

Till the time I’m in my own clothes, I’m a different person — bubbly, dancing around, saying, ‘Chalo, kya khana hai? Coffee mangao,’ and all of that.

But the minute I put on the character’s costume, I start behaving like that person. 

That helps me bring different layers to every role and makes each character look different.

What was Sunny Deol like on set?

Oh my God! Just imagine, his films released when I was probably four or five years old! I’ve grown up watching him, so working with him felt surreal.

The first time he walked on set and my director (Siddharth P Malhotra) introduced me to him, it was a completely different experience. It’s not that I hadn’t met him before socially, but meeting someone on a work platform, as your co-actor, is something else altogether.

He has such a powerful aura around him. After years of admiring him, I was a complete wreck on the first day.

I wouldn’t say I was nervous in the literal sense, but I definitely had butterflies in my stomach. I kept thinking I hope I don’t goof up, I hope I don’t forget my lines, even though I knew I wouldn’t. There was just that little hesitation.

But he is such a warm and welcoming co-actor.

I remember we were shooting a scene together. After my close-up, the crew told him they could use a body double for the over-the-shoulder shots, as they usually do with senior actors. But he immediately said, ‘No, I’ll stand there myself.’

That gesture stayed with me because he didn’t have to do it.

Moments like these make you understand why people like him have earned so much respect. They are deeply committed to their craft and never take shortcuts.

He was incredibly warm with everyone on set. He wasn’t overly friendly — he maintained beautiful boundaries — but he created such a relaxed atmosphere that everyone instantly let their guard down.

‘Tillotama used to call me the ‘laddoo supplier’

You mentioned Tillotama Shome, another Bengali like you. What kind of conversations did you have?

(Laughs) We spoke mostly about fish and food. We were exchanging recipes.

My mother makes these healthy sattu laddoos, so Tillotama used to call me the ‘laddoo supplier’. I think she even mentioned it in one of her Instagram posts.

She would ask me where to buy good fish because my mother-in-law, being Bengali, knows all the best places to source fresh fish. We were always exchanging vendors’ numbers, recipes, and discussing what (food) we would bring to the set the next day.

She’s such a lovely person, so talented, yet so grounded. She’s beautiful in her work and equally wonderful in the way she treats everyone.

Was Siddharth P Malhotra a taskmaster on the set? How did he approach things? Did he explain exactly what he wanted, or did he give you the freedom to perform?

I think Siddharth is one of the most fluid directors I’ve worked with. What makes him special is that he knows exactly what he wants.

For example, if there’s a scene that would take eight hours to shoot; he’ll know exactly how to finish it in two. He knows his shot division, where he wants to place the camera, how many shots he needs… He never takes unnecessary shots. It’s as if the film is already edited in his mind. He knows the reactions he wants, how he wants the scene to look, how it’s all going to come together.

Despite that clarity, the most amazing thing about him is that he gives his actors complete freedom.

During the script reading, he’ll explain exactly what he’s looking for. But when it’s time to rehearse, he’ll simply say, ‘Do it the way you want to.’

Even if you add a gesture or say a line differently, if he feels it doesn’t fit his vision, he will come up to you politely and say, ‘Let’s do one more and try it this way.’

He never makes you feel like you’ve done something wrong, but manages to get exactly what he wants.

I remember one scene with Sunny sir. During rehearsal, I was opening a file and, by accident, some papers fell out. It wasn’t in the script, but I stayed in character and continued the scene. After the take, Siddharth came to me and said, ‘Jyoti, I want you to keep that in the scene.’

I have worked with him before in Maharaj.

‘My son is my biggest critic’

What did your family, especially your children, think of Ikka?

My son is my biggest critic. He is 17 but watches everything closely — every prop, every dialogue, every movement.

As a family, we’re very honest with each other. It’s not as if we only praise my work. If something isn’t right, they’re vocal about it.

But with this film, they were so happy that I almost didn’t believe them!

When my son said, ‘Mama, this scene is flawless’, I thought he was just trying to make me happy because he’s not someone who uses words like ‘flawless’. He always finds something to point out.

Beyond my family, I’ve received messages and calls from people I haven’t spoken to in years. Even distant cousins, whose whereabouts I don’t know anymore, reached out to me.

I have received lovely messages on Instagram from people I don’t know — fans of Akshaye (Khanna), Sunny sir, and Tillotama — who went out of their way to appreciate my work. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.

‘I had never planned to become an actor’

Jyoti, tell us about yourself.

My father is a Punjabi and my mother is Bengali. I was born and brought up in Mumbai.

I got married 26 years ago. It was my husband who pushed me into television. His friend Anurag Basu was launching his first production for Zee TV, Manzilein Apni Apni, and he wanted me to play the lead.

Was yours an arranged marriage?

Yes. My mother-in-law and my mother have been childhood friends.

When Anurag offered me the role, I thought he was crazy because I didn’t know anything about acting.

I had never planned to become an actor. I got married dreaming of having a big family with five or six children because I was an only child.

But my husband insisted. He said, ‘If Anurag believes you can do it, why are you worried?’

The role was challenging. It was like the female version of Baazigar. My character was out to avenge her mother, and I remember thinking, you’re putting the entire show on my shoulders, and I don’t even know how to face a camera!

Looking back, I’m glad I did. Anurag Basu taught me everything: Understanding lighting, holding emotions, voice modulation, and, most importantly, observation.

He gave me one piece of advice that stayed with me: ‘Whenever you’re sitting in a car or travelling somewhere, don’t waste your time. Observe people. Watch how a beggar walks, how people talk, how two lovers sit in an auto, their body language, their gestures. Store all of it in your subconscious. One day, when you need it as an actor, it will automatically come out.’

After Manzilein Apni Apni, I kept getting one show after another and worked continuously in television for almost four years.

My last television show was Pratima in 2005 for Sahara TV, where I worked with Kirron Kher ma’am. It was based on a novel by Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, so it was a very intense and challenging role.

Kirron ma’am played my mother-in-law. We keep in touch even today. She was incredibly warm and supportive.

What made you return to acting?

About four years ago, I decided it was time to return to work.

When your children become teenagers, they naturally need their own space. Somewhere along the way, I had forgotten how to give them that space.

I wanted to do everything with them. If I was watching a movie, I’d ask them to join me. If I was going for a swim or a walk, I’d want them to come along. Since I had spent 16 years focusing entirely on my children, I didn’t know what to do without them.

Then I realised they needed room to grow. I didn’t want them to feel suffocated by my love.

At the same time, I’d worry and ask, ‘Where are you going? Are those the right friends?’

I realised I was struggling to let go.

I spoke to my husband Raja and told him about it.

He suggested I start working again.

I laughed and said, ‘Who will give me work now? I’ve been away from the industry for 16 years. I haven’t kept in touch with anyone. I don’t even know how things work anymore.’

He asked me to give it a try.

Honestly, I didn’t even know where to begin. A friend suggested that I start by posting solo pictures of myself because all my social media pictures were with my children.

I wasn’t active on Instagram, so I uploaded a picture on Facebook. A casting director contacted me and asked if I wanted to audition for a show.

I said yes.

I auditioned and got rejected.

I struggled for almost two years before something finally worked out.

Then the same casting director approached me for Tera Mera Saath Rahe on Star Bharat in 2021. I got the role. I didn’t even negotiate. I didn’t ask about the contract, the number of shooting days, the hours, the location, or the money.

I just wanted one opportunity. I felt that once people knew I was working again, they would start taking me seriously.

‘After so many rejections during my comeback, I had initially doubted myself’

You made your comeback through television. How did films happen?

When I decided to return to acting, Siddharth had asked me, ‘Why don’t you do films instead?’

I told him I had left television years ago, so I wanted to begin there. Also, because I come from a family connected to films, I wanted to create my own space, my own world where I could build relationships and create an identity of my own.

Siddharth was making Maharaj and he offered me a small part. I immediately said yes.

So while I was shooting Tera Mera Saath Rahe I did Maharaj. After that, I got busy with television.

Then, when Ikka came along, Siddharth called me again and said, ‘You’ve done television for four years now. Maybe it’s time to take the next step.’

After so many rejections during my comeback, I had initially doubted myself. I wasn’t sure if I could still do it. But after working continuously for four years, I felt ready again.

That’s how Ikka happened.

I have also done Mardaani 3. It’s just one scene, but an important one. It’s the scene around the interval where my character, a doctor, reveals what’s really happening, making it a major turning point in the story.

I said yes because it gave me the opportunity to work with Rani.

How is Rani on set?

Rani is family to me but as I said earlier, even if you know someone personally and meet them often, working with them is a different experience.

During Mardaani 3, my daughter Myieshaa was working as an assistant director on the film.

‘Myieshaa burst into tears and told me, ‘Mama, Abhiraj (Minawala, director) said this is exactly what he wanted’

So Mardaani 3 was all in the family?

(Laughs) Absolutely! We joked that we were taking nepotism to the next level because my husband Raja was handling the production, my daughter was an AD, and I was acting in the film.

Before my scene, Myieshaa was asked to run the lines with me, as per the production protocol. She told the team, ‘My mother delivers pages of dialogue every day in her television shows. These few lines are nothing for her.’

But they insisted, so Myieshaa came to my vanity van and said, ‘Mama, I have to rehearse the lines with you, it’s part of protocol.’

She rehearsed the lines with me, and I could see she was nervous.

She later admitted she was worried how the shoot would go because she was part of the film’s team, and her mother was coming in to perform.

I wasn’t nervous at all. I simply went on set, did the rehearsal, and then we rolled.

One advantage television actors have is that we’re trained to work under extreme time pressure.

We don’t have the luxury of multiple retakes because we shoot almost an entire 22 to 25-minute episode in a single day. So you learn to deliver your performance in one take.

Films are different. You have the time to explore a scene through several takes. I performed the scene, and after the very first take, everyone started clapping.

They had expected the scene to take six or seven hours, but it was done immediately.

That’s when Myieshaa burst into tears and told me, ‘Mama, Abhiraj (Minawala, director) said this is exactly what he wanted.’

‘I don’t like talking too much about my relationship with Rani because I get scared of jinxing it’

What is Rani like?

At home, she’s like my sister. I can talk to her about anything. There’s nothing I need to hide from her.

She’s extremely family-oriented. Her life begins and ends with her family. The way she takes care of her parents, and the love she has for my children is incredible.

I never had a sibling, but feel like I found one in Rani. We share a very special bond. Touch wood. I don’t like talking too much about it because I get scared of jinxing it.

On set, she’s a different person. Her focus, dedication, commitment and love for her craft are phenomenal. She’s a very spontaneous actor. She believes in preparation, but not in a mechanical way.

When she’s shooting, she’s completely immersed in her work. If she’s given six hours to shoot, those six hours are all about the work. Nothing else exists in her mind during that time.

One thing I’ve admired about Rani is her discipline. She’s incredibly punctual. If her call time is 8 am, she’ll be there at exactly on time.

That’s something I keep telling my daughter as well. I feel the younger generation sometimes takes punctuality casually.

Did she watch Ikka? What was her reaction?

She loved it. She really loved my work.

What is Myieshaa and Viaan’s relationship with their cousin Adhira?

They are inseparable. They are constantly talking to each other. They know everything that’s happening in each other’s lives.

‘Aditya Chopra has this wonderful ability to hold everyone together effortlessly’

You mentioned Raja is busy with films. Did you ever think of working with him?

Raja doesn’t produce films. He works at Yash Raj Films and handles production there.

Why haven’t you worked with Yash Raj Films yet?

I wanted to build my own space and create my own journey.

It’s very easy for people to say, ‘She got work because of her connections.’

What they don’t see is the number of rejections I went through. Even if someone helps you get your first opportunity, you can’t sustain a career unless you know your craft.

I wanted people to hire me because they believed in my work, not because I was related to someone. I didn’t want my hard work to be overshadowed by conversations about family connections.

I could have taken the easier route, but I chose the more challenging one because I wanted people to recognise me as an actor first.

What is Aditya Chopra like?

He’s the best brother-in-law anyone could ask for.

Aditya Chopra has this wonderful ability to hold everyone together effortlessly.

Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff