Rani Mukerji had a deeply personal moment at the 62nd Maharashtra State Film Awards in Mumbai when she accepted the Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award and chose to speak in Marathi.

The actor, who has completed three decades in cinema, used the occasion to talk about her relationship with Mumbai and Maharashtra. Rather than treating the award as another milestone in her long career, Rani spoke about the city where she was born, grew up and eventually found her place in the film industry.

Rani told the gathering that Maharashtra was not simply a state for her. It was both her birthplace and workplace, making the recognition particularly meaningful. She recalled growing up in Mumbai and learning about life and cinema in the city.

She also spoke candidly about the different phases of her career. Mumbai, she said, had seen her experience both success and failure. That made receiving an honour from people and a place she considers her own even more special.

Rani’s Marathi speech quickly became one of the highlights of the evening. Her choice of language reflected the personal nature of the occasion and her long-standing connection with Maharashtra.

The actor also looked back at the beginning of her career, saying she entered the film industry at a young age and continued working with sincerity. She described cinema as a medium through which people can understand one another, highlighting why meaningful stories and characters have remained important to her.

Her journey has indeed moved through several phases. From popular romantic dramas such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Hum Tum to more performance-driven films including Black, Hichki, No One Killed Jessica and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway, Rani has built a career across commercial and content-led cinema.

The award also comes at a significant point in that journey. After three decades in the industry, the actor is being recognised not just for individual performances but for her broader contribution to Indian cinema.

Rani’s appearance matched the mood of the evening. She wore a green saree with a red border, along with green bangles, a mangalsutra and a gajra. The traditional look complemented her Marathi address and added to the celebratory atmosphere.

The Raj Kapoor Special Contribution Award was presented to her by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar and members of the film fraternity. Rani later said the award carried special significance because it came from her own people and was named after Raj Kapoor, one of Indian cinema’s most influential filmmakers.

The ceremony also brought together leading names from both Marathi and Hindi cinema.

Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan received the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award, which was accepted on his behalf by actor Helen. Music composer Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar received the Chitrapati V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award, while actor-director Prasad Oak was honoured with the Chitrapati V Shantaram Special Contribution Award.

The evening also highlighted the importance of Marathi cinema. Fadnavis spoke about the need to strengthen the Marathi film industry and said the state was working on an action plan to make more cinema halls available for Marathi films. Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar also spoke about plans involving film infrastructure in Maharashtra.

Rani’s speech eventually returned to Mumbai and what the city has meant to her. She reflected on how she had grown from a young girl into an actor, wife and mother while Mumbai remained a constant presence in her life.

She credited the city with giving her an identity, an audience and a career. The award, she said, would always remind her of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

That sentiment perhaps explained why the evening felt different for Rani. Awards have been part of her career for years, but this one came from the state that she considers home.

By speaking in Marathi and dedicating the honour to the people of Maharashtra, along with artists, technicians, directors and others working in the film industry, Rani turned a formal awards ceremony into something much more personal.