The grand festival of Chhath Puja is celebrated with immense enthusiasm every year, and as the four-day rituals approach, traditional folk songs dedicated to Chhathi Maiya begin to resonate everywhere. Alongside common citizens, film celebrities also observe this rigorous festival with deep devotion. Within Bhojpuri cinema, several artists participate in Chhath Puja annually without fail. Among them is a prominent actress who belongs to a Muslim family but worships Chhathi Maiya with complete reverence every single year. Let us explore the identity of this actress and the circumstances that led to her adopting the screen name Rani Chatterjee.
The Fascinating Journey from Sabiha Sheikh to Rani Chatterjee
The actress in question is well-known Bhojpuri star Rani Chatterjee, whose actual birth name is Sabiha Sheikh. In an interview, Rani shared that she holds equal respect for all faiths and performs Chhath Puja annually. She mentioned that people might have rarely seen her offering Islamic prayers, but they have frequently witnessed her participating in traditional worship. She emphasized that she has always respected every religion and regularly seeks the blessings of Chhathi Maiya.
Facing Social Media Trolling Over Religion and Name
During the same interaction, Rani Chatterjee revealed that she often faces online trolling on social media regarding her real name and religious background. She noted that when younger generations discover she is a Muslim, they post comments and send direct messages calling her fake and accusing her of utilizing a Hindu name. However, Rani maintained that despite adopting this name, she has never shown disrespect to any religious belief or tradition.
Reflecting on her artistic journey, Rani stated that entering the film industry completely transformed her perspective on the world. As a performer, she got the unique opportunity to understand diverse cultures and religions from close quarters. She expressed that sometimes she portrays a Christian woman on screen, sometimes she performs devotional sequences inside a temple, and at other times she records devotional tracks dedicated to Lord Shiva. Embracing every culture translates to truly understanding India, and she deeply cherishes this experiential journey.
The Surprising Incident Behind Her Screen Name
Recalling the amusing anecdote behind her name change, Rani explained that she was studying in the tenth standard when she commenced shooting for her very first Bhojpuri feature film. The sequence required her to bow down inside a temple and pray at the feet of the deity for her husband's life. Since Manoj Tiwari was starring in the lead role, a massive crowd and numerous media personnel had gathered at the temple premises to watch the shoot.
According to Rani, the film director became concerned that if the temple priest or attendees discovered her Muslim identity, it could create complications for the production team. Consequently, she was instructed to state her name as Rani if anyone inquired, since her character in the movie shared the exact same name. When journalists pressed the film producer for her complete name, he panicked and spontaneously attached the surname Chatterjee to her first name. Nobody anticipated at that moment that the movie would achieve massive commercial success. Upon release, the film triumphed at the box office, transforming Sabiha Sheikh into the renowned Bhojpuri celebrity Rani Chatterjee, a moniker she subsequently embraced as her permanent identity.
