| Indrani Mukherjee | |
| Birth Place: | Allahabad, United Provinces, British India (present day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1960-1984 |
| Notable Works: | |
| Children: | 4 |
Indrani Mukherjee is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films during the 1960s and 1970s and starred in over 70 films. After playing the heroine in some films, notably Usne Kaha Tha (1960) and Aakhri Khat (1966), she moved to playing character roles which were central to the film and made this her forte. Her roles in films like Dharam Veer (1977), Parvarish (1977) and Des Pardes (1978) were the pivot of the storyline, but they were not conventional heroine roles. Each of the movies were a success at the box office.
Mukherjee was born in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), United Provinces, into a Bengali Brahmin family. Her father, Dr. Jitendra Mukherjee, was a doctor of medicine who practised in Allahabad. Her mother, Kamini Devi Mukherjee, was a devoted home-maker. Indrani was one of seven children. She had four sisters and two brothers.
In 1960, she was screentested by Bimal Roy,[1] which led to her debut with Usne Kaha Tha (1960), directed by Moni Bhattacharjee and produced by Roy, with Sunil Dutt and Nanda as the leads.[2] Her next film was Dharmputra (1961), opposite Shashi Kapoor and directed by Yash Chopra, and which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi[3] Her next big film was the war film Haqeeqat (1964), directed by Chetan Anand, who subsequently cast her as the lead, opposite debutant Rajesh Khanna in Aakhri Khat (1966), the film received critical acclaim, and was India's entry to the Academy Awards.[4]
For the next decade, Indrani became a regular feature in Hindi films as a character actor in notable films such as Mere Lal (the famous song "Payal Ki Jhankar Raste Raste" was picturised on her), Grahasti, Heer Raanjha (1970), Parvarish (1977) and Dharam Veer (1977), the Dharmendra starrer, in which she played the pivotal role of Rajmata (Queen Mother).[5]
She also acted in a few Marathi and Bhojpuri films including Apradh and Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram (1963). In 1984, Indrani retired from Hindi cinema.
Indrani grew up in a healthy and wholesome, traditional environment. She prioritized her family above all else and takes great pride in having been a good and successful wife and mother. She married Krishanlal Khanna, a Punjabi Khatri, and moved to Nashik outside Mumbai in 1992.[2] The couple had four children, two sons and two daughters. All of them are well educated and well settled in life. Indrani's sons are named Anirudh Khanna and Dipankar Khanna, and they continue to live in Nashik. Both of them are married, and Indrani's daughters-in-law are Anju Khanna (née Ahuja) and Niketa Khanna.
Indrani's elder daughter Deepanjali Chhapwale is married to Rahul Chhapwale, originally from Mumbai, Maharashtra. They live in London and are the parents of two children, a son, Vikramaditya Chhapwale and a daughter, Avantika.
Indrani's younger daughter Moyna Bannerjee is married to Rahul Banerjee, a Bengali Brahmin gentleman of her own caste and similar family background. They live in Bangalore and are the parents of two children, a son named Ranveer Bannerjee and a daughter, Nivedita Bannerjee.[6]