Rani Mukerji has built a distinguished filmography spanning romance, drama, comedy and socially driven cinema. Over three decades, she has delivered several acclaimed performances that have cemented her place among contemporary Indian cinema's most respected actors.

Speaking about the honour, Rani Mukerji said, “When I entered the Indian film industry as a young girl, I never imagined that one day my films and the characters that I have been fortunate enough to play, would take me across oceans and that people in a beautiful country like Australia would embrace me with so much warmth.”

She added, “Entertaining people across the world with my cinema is the greatest gift this profession has given me. Australia has always welcomed me and Indian cinema with open arms. It has become a place where cultures meet through storytelling, where films remind us that emotions don't need passports and where love, laughter and hope speak a language we all understand.”

Reflecting on the relationship between an actor and audiences, Rani said, “As actors, we perform in front of a camera. But the real story begins only when that performance reaches someone's heart.”

She further reflected on the journey of her films and characters over the past three decades, saying that it was “incredibly humbling” to know that her work had travelled far beyond India and found a place in audiences‘ lives.

Rani also spoke about the women she has portrayed throughout her career, describing them as characters who “laughed loudly, loved deeply, fought fearlessly and never stopped believing in themselves”.

“In many ways, every character has changed me a little. They've made me a better actor, but more importantly, they‘ve made me a better human being,” she said.