Rani Chatterjee, one of the most successful, senior and popular actresses of Bhojpuri film industry, does not need any identity today. He has ruled the hearts of the audience by giving hundreds of superhit films in his career spanning more than two decades. But very few people know that Rani Chatterjee, who plays the role of Hindu traditional daughters-in-law and rural women on screen, belongs to a conservative Muslim family in real life and her real name is Sabiha Shaikh Is. The story of Sabiha becoming 'Rani Chatterjee' is very filmy and dramatic, which is related to the shooting taking place in a Shiva temple and an immediate decision taken by the director.
It was the year 2003-2004, when a blockbuster film that created a new history in Bhojpuri cinema. 'Father-in-law is very rich' Shooting was going on. In this film, a new girl was cast opposite Bhojpuri superstar and current MP Manoj Tiwari, whose name was Sabiha Shaikh. At that time Sabiha was just 14-15 years old and was studying in school. An important scene of the film was to be shot in a famous Shiva temple, where the actress had to film a scene of worship and prayer with her head bowed before the Shivalinga.
A huge crowd of hundreds of local people and media persons had gathered in the temple to watch the shooting. Amidst the shooting, some journalists and people started asking the film's director Ajay Sinha for the name of the new face.
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Director's fear: The director started worrying that if he told the crowd that the girl doing the puja scene in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple is a Muslim and her name is Sabiha Sheikh, then some religious dispute, protest or uproar might arise and the shooting might stop.
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Decision taken immediately: Without any prior planning, the director hurriedly told the media and people that her name was 'Rani'. When the people present there asked his full name i.e. surname, the name of the veteran Bollywood actress of that era, Rani Mukherjee, came to the director's mind. Without thinking he immediately added – 'Rani Chatterjee'.
When the shooting was completed and the name 'Rani Chatterjee' appeared in the film's posters and newspapers, there was huge resentment in Sabiha Shaikh's family. Being a Muslim family, her parents and relatives did not like the fact that their daughter's name was made public with a Bengali Brahmin surname (Chatterjee). Sabiha herself was not comfortable with this name and thought that it would be limited to only one film. But when 'Sasura Bada Paisawala' was released in 2004, it broke all the box office records in the history of Bhojpuri cinema and the film proved to be an all-time blockbuster. After this unexpected success, the distributors and producers said that the name 'Rani Chatterjee' has become lady luck for her, after which she decided to continue her film career with the same name.
On the basis of her hard work, strong acting and screen presence, Rani Chatterjee achieved a position in Bhojpuri cinema which very few actresses get. She is often called the 'Dabangg Queen' or 'Madhuri Dixit' of Bhojpuri industry. He has never hidden his religious background and has openly admitted in many interviews that he is a proud Indian and Muslim at heart, but on the film screen he is just an actor who has no religion. Even today, her name is registered on government documents and passports as Sabiha Shaikh, whereas the whole world knows and respects her as Rani Chatterjee.