Rani: Lonely in wonderland

MUMBAI: Has the fall from stardom resulted in Rani Mukerji becoming a recluse? Sure seems like it as she is no longer the vivacious girl everyone knew and loved.

A source who was earlier close to Rani says, “Rani has stopped communicating with all her friends including Urmila Matondkar, Dia Mirza and Manish Malhotra. She hardly calls them up and at times, she doesn’t even take their calls. Instead, she prefers to spend a lot of time with her niece (Mysha).”

The only person Rani is in touch with from her friend circle is choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant, that too perhaps because she often bumps into Vaibhavi at Yash Raj Films. Vaibhavi regularly works for YRF whose scion Aditya Chopra has been dating Rani for nearly three years.

Why has Rani changed so much? Earlier, she used to attend important social functions particularly hosted by those who mattered to her. But recently, she even skipped Dr RK Agarwal’s daughter’s wedding, and consequently, shocked several of her friends from the industry who expected that she would definitely turn up for the occasion.

“The change in Rani’s behaviour is inexplicable. Her friends want her to be the old Rani again but all she wants is to be left alone. She has become a very, very private person,” adds the source.

Manish said, “I meet Rani. Yes, we haven’t interacted recently but that’s simply because she is shooting in Delhi and I have been busy with my shows and the ongoing fashion week.”

Seems like Aditya Chopra’s reticence has rubbed off on her too. Over to you, Rani.