When the "Aati kya Khandala" girl Rani Mukerji turned out wearing a traditional Marathi "Nath" (nose ring), she drew an instant applause from the audience at the inauguration of a film festival in the presence of mega star Amitabh Bachchan and legendary singer Asha Bhosale here.

But the cheers reached a crescendo last night when the actress made a start to finish speech in Marathi declaring herself a "Marathi" girl born in Mumbai.

"I was born in Mumbai. Even if I am not Marathi, I am Marathi....", she gushed at the tenth Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) which got underway with the felicitation of Bachchan, Bhosale and eminent musician IIlayraaja for their outstanding contribution to Indian cinema and creative music.

Rani, who was the chief guest, said she was currently shooting in Pune for film "Ayya", playing the role of a Marathi girl which had turned her into a "pucci (hardcore) Marathi".

Clad in "Paithani", sporting a "Nath" and wearing a "gajara" on the bun in typical Maharashtrian fashion, Rani was at her charming best as she ended her talk with three words associated with female blushes and shyness "Ayya, Issha , Agabaai", in a finale to her Marathi act that enthralled the gathering.