After a 12 month sabbatical the queen of Bollywood, Rani Mukherji has returned to the silver screen in Anurag Singh’s directorial debut Dil Bole Hadippa.

Launched under the Yash Raj banner, it’s the first time audiences will see Rani play a male character, a role which she claims was not tough to execute. “I enjoyed playing Veer it was the first time I played a man and it came quite naturally to me, the only big difference is standing with your legs apart,” she laughs.

With cricket being the central theme of the movie, the starlet went through a six-month training programme. “It was difficult learning how to play cricket, I’d never played the game as a kid, I didn’t even know how to hold the bat correctly,” she reveals.   

Despite her newfound love for the game, Rani has no current plans to buy an IPL team. “I don’t have enough money in my bank to buy an IPL team, I’m not that rich,” she laughs.

The actress stars opposite baby-faced Shahid Kapoor, whom she describes as easy to romance because of his good looks and shaved chest. She also describes him as “hardworking and charming.”

When the Rani is asked about her other co-star Rakhee Sawant she replies: “Rakhee is a very hardworking and professional girl and she complimented me saying no man has ever danced with her the way I have, so I was very happy with that.”  

After shedding a few pounds the Bengali beauty is looking hotter than ever, but her new look has people wondering whether she too has succumbed to the size zero fad, however Rani was quick to explain the motive behind her weight loss.   

“I toned my body so that I could look like a cricketer, it’s important for me to look like the role and as you know athletes are very fit.”

Dil Bole Hadippa, which released worldwide on September 18th is about a Punjabi girl Veera (Rani Mukherji) who must strap on a beard and turban and become a man (Veer) to fulfil her dream of playing cricket. Her talent gets her a place on Rohan’s (Shahid Kapoor) team and thus begins the romance, dance and drama.