MUMBAI
Singling out any country as unsafe for women is unfair, says actor Rani Mukerji while also emphasizing that making women aware and "equipped" to deal with their challenges is key to their security.
Her latest film ‘Mardaani 2’, in which she reprises her role as police officer Shivani Shivaji Roy, focuses on rape crimes by juveniles.
"I think the headline of this film should be, making women aware... Let's not be blinded by things and accept that these things are happening... You have to be aware and tackle them," Rani told PTI in an interview.
Making the country safe for women
"As a parent, you want your children to be independent but then you also want to make it safe for them. So how do you balance...? It is a responsibility on ourselves to go out there and be aware... so that you are equipped," she added.
The first film in the crime drama series, "Mardaani" (2014), revolved around child trafficking and went on to become a critically-acclaimed hit.
The recently released trailer of the sequel, produced by Yash Raj Films, opens with official data by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India that more than 2,000 rape crimes are committed by males under 18 years in India every year.
Asked if she believes India is unsafe for women, Rani said several countries are unsafe and one shouldn't make headlines like India is unsafe.
"We are making an Indian film so obviously we are going to centre our film around India," the 41-year-old actor said, adding that foreign filmmakers also tackle social problems prevalent in their country.
In her view, India should not be looked at as an unsafe country. "There are so many countries in the world that are unsafe for women or generally. You can't put a trademark on any country that this country is very safe," the actor said.
Rani said the ethos of the ‘Mardaani’ franchise is about narrating the cautionary tale that evil is always around the corner.
‘Mardaani 2’, set in Rajasthan's educational hub Kota, is directed and written by Gopi Puthran. It is scheduled for release on December 13.
