Kajol Devgn (née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974) is an Indian actress who goes by the moniker Kajol. She is widely regarded as one of the most successful actresses in Hindi film, having received multiple awards, including six Filmfare Awards, for which she shares the record for the most Best Actress victories with her late aunt Nutan. The Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri in 2011.
Kajol Mukherjee, the daughter of Tanuja and Shomu Mukherjee, made her acting debut in Bekhudi (1992) while still in high school. She dropped out of college and went on to have commercial success in Baazigar (1993), opposite Shah Rukh Khan, and Yeh Dillagi (1994). She established herself as a big actress in the 1990s, co-starring with Khan in the top-grossing romances Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and earning two Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. She was highly praised for her performances as a psychopathic killer in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and an avenger in Dushman (1998).
After starring in the family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), for which she received her third Filmfare Award, Kajol took a break from full-time acting and worked seldom over the next two decades. She went on to win two more Filmfare Best Actress awards for her roles in the romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) and the drama My Name Is Khan (2010). Her two highest-grossing films were the comedy Dilwale (2015) and the period drama Tanhaji (2020).
Kajol is a social worker who works with widows and children in addition to appearing in films. She was a talent judge on the reality show Rock-N-Roll Family in 2008, and she currently works as a manager at Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd. Since 1999, Kajol has been married to actor and filmmaker Ajay Devgn, with whom she has two children.
Kajol was born on August 5, 1974, in Bombay (modern-day Mumbai). Tanuja Mukherjee is an actress, and her father, Shomu Mukherjee, is a film director and producer. Tanishaa, her younger sister, is also an actress. Her maternal aunt, Nutan, was an actress, as were her maternal grandmother, Shobhna Samarth, and great-grandmother, Rattan Bai. Her paternal uncles, Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee, are film producers, and both of her grandfathers, Sashadhar Mukherjee and Kumarsen Samarth, were filmmakers. Rani Mukerji, Sharbani Mukherjee, and Mohnish Behl, Kajol's cousins, are also performers, while Ayan Mukerji is a director.
At an early age, Kajol described herself as mischievous, stubborn, and impulsive. Her parents divorced when she was young, but she was unaffected because the issue was never mentioned at home. Kajol was raised by her maternal grandmother, who "never gave me the impression that my mother was away and working." Kajol claims that her mother instilled in her a spirit of independence when she was a child. She grew up between two cultures, absorbing "Maharashtrian pragmatism" from her mother and "Bengali temperament" from her father. Kajol, a practising Hindu, celebrates the Durga Puja celebration in the Santacruz suburbs with the Mukherjee family every year as part of tradition.
Kajol attended St. Joseph's Convent School in Panchgani. She participated in extracurricular activities such as dance in addition to her education. She developed an active interest in reading fiction in school because it helped her "get through the bad times" in her life. Tanuja attempted to make a film to launch her as an actor in the early 1990s, but it was scrapped after only a few days of filming. At the age of sixteen, Kajol began work on Bekhudi, which she describes as a "big dose of luck"; she was cast by him when she visited the photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha's studio, who also penned the film's screenplay. She meant to return to school following her two-month summer vacation, but she dropped out to pursue a full-time career in film—a move she ultimately regretted.
A career in film
Work from the early 1990s (1992-1994)
At the age of seventeen, Kajol made her acting debut in the 1992 romance drama Bekhudi, alongside another debutant, Kamal Sadanah, and her mother Tanuja. Radhika, played by Kajol, falls in love with Sadanah's character despite her parents' opposition. The film was a box office disappointment, although Kajol's performance received great feedback. The following year, she was cast in Abbas-Mustan's criminal thriller Baazigar (1993), which grossed 182.5 million (US$2.3 million) and was the fourth-highest-grossing picture of the year. The film, which also starred Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty, starred Kajol as Priya Chopra, a young woman who falls in love with her sister's murderer while unknowing of his identity. Baazigar was the first of several collaborations she had with Khan. Although her performance received praise, Kajol was chastised for her appearance.
In 1994, Kajol played an orphaned girl who visits her estranged grandparents (Jeetendra and Moushumi Chatterjee) in Udhaar Ki Zindagi. Although the film did not perform well at the box office, Kajol was nominated Best Actress (Hindi) by the Bengal Film Journalists' Association. The film was an emotionally draining experience for Kajol, who later stated that it had affected her so severely that she was on the edge of a crisis after filming concluded. As a result, she made a deliberate decision to sign up for lighter films in which she would have minor roles and no intense dramatic attempts, such as Hulchul, Gundaraj, and Karan Arjun—all of which were released a year later.
She rose to prominence for her performance in Yeh Dillagi, a Yash Raj Films romance based on the 1953 American drama Sabrina Fair. She played Sapna, a chauffeur's daughter who becomes a model and attracts the attention of her father's employers' two sons (Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan). Yeh Dillagi was a financial success and a breakthrough for Kajol, garnering her first Best Actress nomination at the annual Filmfare Awards. The Indian Express praised her convincing performance, and Screen concluded that Yeh Dillagi had transformed herself from a girl next door to a beauty exceptional.
(1995-1998) established actress
In 2014, Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan celebrated 1000 weeks of uninterrupted Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge screenings. Khan is one of her favourite co-stars, according to her.
Kajol had two big commercial triumphs with Shah Rukh Khan in 1995: Karan Arjun and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. The former is a Rakesh Roshan action film centred on the concept of reincarnation, in which she played Sonia Saxena Singh, Khan's love interest. She defended her modest role in the film, stating that she intended to play an ornamental role and admitting that she had little to do in the picture other than look attractive. In India, the film was the second-highest-grossing film of the year. Kajol's following films, Taaqat, Hulchul, and Gundaraj, all underperformed at the box office; the latter two were her first collaborations with her future husband, Ajay Devgn, and trade observers attributed the failure to their chemistry.
Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan featured as non-resident Indians from London who fall in love on a tour across Europe and reunite in India to persuade her strict father to call off her planned arranged marriage in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kajol's final 1995 movie. Kajol expressed her love for the project and her whole emotional connection with her role, Simran. It is one of India's most successful films of all time, having run continuously in Mumbai for over 1000 weeks and becoming the longest-running Indian film ever in 2014. The film received ten Filmfare Awards, including the first Best Actress award for Kajol. In polls conducted by the British Film Institute, it was rated one of the best films ever created. According to Raja Sen of Rediff.com, Kajol was well-cast as Simran, "the real-as-life actress bringing warmth and credulity to the initially prudish and reluctant Simran." In 1996, she starred in the flop action flick Bambai Ka Babu.
Critics hailed Kajol's portrayal of Isha Diwan, an obsessive lover turned psychopathic serial killer, in Gupt: The Hidden Truth in 1997 as a watershed moment. Rajiv Rai, the director, stated that he "tapped the versatile artistry in Kajol" and praised her for the elegance she brought to the role. The suspense thriller, which also starred Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala, was a box office hit. Kajol has outpaced her co-stars, according to India Today, and she was "probably the first to have broken her goody-two-shoes image" in 2016, according to The Times of India. Rediff.com highlighted her performance on its list of the finest villain performances in 2002. Kajol was the first female actor to be nominated and win the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. In later years, Kajol stated that she accepted the role to avoid typecasting and showed a desire to play many types.
Following her starring role in the reincarnation-themed film Hameshaa, Kajol took over for Madhuri Dixit in Rajiv Menon's Tamil-language love musical Minsara Kanavu, opposite Prabhu Deva and Arvind Swamy. Kajol found it challenging to dance beside Deva (himself a dance choreographer), and it took her hours of retakes and practises to get the routines just perfect. Priya Amalraj, a convent student aspiring to be a nun, was played by her, while her voice was dubbed by actress Revathi. According to the Indian Express, "Kajol is full of beans and fits into her character with commendable ease." Hers is one of the most expressive faces in the world today." While the original version was well received by audiences, the Hindi-dubbed version (named Sapnay) was a commercial failure. Her next film was Indra Kumar's comedy-drama Ishq, in which she co-starred with Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Ajay Devgn. The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim for the performances of the four leads.
Kajol with Rani Mukerji (left) and Khan at a Kuch Kuch Hota Hai event in 2018.
In 1998, Kajol cemented her position as a leading actress in Hindi cinema by appearing in three of the year's highest-grossing films: Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, all of which were nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Film, with the latter winning. Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, in which she played a naive rural girl, was the first film to be released and received positive reviews from critics. She then starred in Dushman as twin sisters Sonia and Naina. The film, which revolved around Naina's quest to avenge Sonia's murder, saw Kajol deliver one of her best-reviewed performances. She first declined the offer owing to her discomfort with shooting the rape scene, but eventually accepted it on the condition that a body double be used in it. Her performance in the film earned her the Screen Award for Best Actress. Suparn Verma complimented her on her "superb form" in both parts.
Following that was Anees Bazmee's romantic comedy Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, an adaptation of the 1995 American film French Kiss. She played Sanjana, a clumsy lady who travels from Paris to India to find her philandering fiancé but falls in love with another man (Ajay Devgn). The film was a success, and Kajol received another Best Actress nomination at Filmfare that year. The Indian Express' Deepa Deosthalee labelled Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha "Kajol's film all the way" and praised her presence for making the film worth watching; Khalid Mohamed referred to her as "the show's super-saving grace." Hers is a brilliantly calibrated performance, rescuing even the most boisterous scenes from going over the top."
Kajol's biggest triumph in 1998 was her final film of the year, Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It was the first Indian feature film to be shot in Scotland, and it became an all-time hit in both India and abroad. Kajol plays Anjali Sharma, a tomboyish college girl who secretly loves her college best friend (Shah Rukh Khan). The plot continues their re-encounter years later, when he is widowed and she has changed her appearance and is already engaged to another man. Despite an otherwise improbable plot, critics praised Kajol's performance as brave and believable. Nikhat Kazmi described herself as "almost mesmeric" in the role. For her work, she received her second Best Actress award at the 44th Filmfare Awards and her first Zed Cine Award for Best Actor - Female. Filmfare named Kajol's performances in Dushman and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai among the "80 Most Iconic Performances" in Indian film. Madhur Mittal of The Tribune wrote in his year-end column that Kajol had "emerged as the consummate heroine with her excellent emoting and sensational screen presence in each portrayal."
Career changes and a hiatus (1999-2001)
Journalists believed that Kajol's supporting role as Ajay Devgn's character's other woman in Dil Kya Kare, her first release after marriage, would be "the acid test" for her. She claimed that she only accepted the part "because it had shades of grey." The film received mostly unfavourable reviews, but Deccan Herald praised her for playing the character with delicacy. The film also did poorly commercially. Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, on the other hand, did well with both reviewers and audiences. It offered her expertise with "the stereotypical, sacrificing woman role" and won her another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. The film received media attention for being one of the few woman-centered films to draw audiences in Indian cinemas. Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya was her final release of the year. The Hindustan Times praised her chemistry with Jackie Shroff but dismissed the movie.
The next year, Kajol and her husband co-starred in his home-production Raju Chacha, a love story about a conman and a governess of three children from an affluent family. With a production cost of $300 million (US$3.8 million), the children's picture was deemed one of the most costly Hindi films at the time. Dinesh Raheja complained about the script's lack of inventiveness, which harmed the chemistry between Kajol and Ajay Devgn. Kajol portrayed twin sisters who are separated at birth in Rahul Rawail's Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi (2001). The film received negative reviews, and Kajol's dual role was dubbed "a double bore." Screen's Roshmila Bhattacharya defended Kajol's presence and dynamic performance. Both Raju Chacha and Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi were box office disappointments, which Kajol admitted left her frustrated.
Later that year, Kajol starred in Karan Johar's ensemble drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., which became the highest-grossing Indian production of all time in the international market. She portrayed Anjali Sharma, a young Punjabi woman from the Chandni Chowk neighbourhood who falls in love with a wealthy man (Shah Rukh Khan). She related with the character's boisterous personality and saw parallels with Hema Malini in Sholay (1975). The part required Kajol to speak in Punjabi, a language she did not speak fluently, and while she struggled at first, she eventually mastered the pronunciation and diction with the assistance of producer Yash Johar and some of the staff members. Her comic-dramatic portrayal and Punjabi vernacular received critical acclaim, earning her a third Filmfare Award for Best Actress. In a review for The Hindu, Ziya Us Salam stated, "Kajol steals the thunder from under very high noses indeed." She is a joy throughout, with her exact timing and delicate lingering expression."
Kajol took a break from full-time acting after Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... and turned down several film roles. She indicated that she did not leave the film industry, but rather became more selective in her role choices and wanted to focus more on her husband. At the time, most film critics believed her career was ended.
Work on a part-time basis (2006-2010)
Kajol made her cinematic debut with Kunal Kohli's romance thriller Fanaa (2006). She played Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman who falls in love with a terrorist (Aamir Khan) unknowingly. The picture was marketed as her comeback, a word she despised, claiming that she had not retired but simply taken a sabbatical. The film was a commercial success upon its initial release, grossing 1 billion (US$13 million) against its 220 million (US$2.8 million) budget. The film and Kajol's performance were both warmly received. Sudhish Kamath of The Hindu stated that Kajol is reason enough to watch it, while Deepa Gahlot thought Kajol's commitment in the role compensated for the film's shortcomings. Kajol won her fourth Filmfare Award and her second Zed Cine Award for Best Actress for Fanaa.
In 2010, Khan and Karan Johar promoted My Name Is Khan. When asked about the film, she told The Hindu that it was more intense and distinct from her previous work.
Throughout the rest of the decade, Kajol worked on and off. She began filming on Rajkumar Santoshi's unreleased mythology film Ramayana, based on the epic of the same name, in 2007, where she played the goddess Sita. She saw her husband's directorial debut, U Me Aur Hum (2008), as a landmark in her career. She played Piya Thapar, a woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease, in the film. Despite the film's commercial failure, she won another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance. According to Gaurav Malini of the Economic Times, Kajol's "simmering pace and... recurring amnesiac spells, rather than becoming repetitive, add compelling credibility to the story." However, her physical look drew criticism from commentators.
Following that, Kajol was cast opposite Shah Rukh Khan in My Name Is Khan (2010), a film about the bigotry encountered by American Muslims following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was Fox Star Studios' debut Indian film distribution. It debuted to mixed-to-positive reviews and went on to become an international success. My Name Is Khan was shown at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, the Los Angeles Indian Film Festival, and the Rome Film Festival. Indian and international critics appreciated Kajol's portrayal of Mandira, a Hindu single mother who marries a Muslim guy with Asperger syndrome. Rajeev Masand praised Kajol's delicate performance, and the Los Angeles Times found her engaging in an emotional character. Kajol earned her fifth Filmfare Best Actress award for the film, tying her late aunt, Nutan, for the record. She was also nominated for a Screen Award for Best Actress, a Stardust Award for Best Actress in a Drama, and a Zed Cine Award for Best Actor - Female.
Kajol co-starred with Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in Siddharth Malhotra's We Are Family, an adaption of the 1998 American film Stepmom. Kajol played Maya, a character she related with for being a "control freak" in pursuit of perfection, and thought her performance to be vastly different from that of Susan Sarandon in the original. Maya was inspired in part by Malhotra's grandma Bina Rai. Mayank Shekhar praised Kajol's performance over Sarandon's, and Rachel Saltz of The New York Times said that "her naturalism gives the film a genuine emotional kick." Toonpur Ka Super Hero, Kajol's next film that year, starred her as Priya Kumar, a lady trapped in a cartoon world. Kajol discussed the difficulties and challenges of dubbing for the picture. The film, dubbed the first Hindi live-action animated picture, divided critics and failed to gain an audience. Her job was rejected as not giving her enough room to shine. She took a second break after the birth of her son in 2010, however she did do voiceover for the opening credits of the Hindi version of the fantasy film Eega, which was released in 2012.
Dilwale and beyond (from 2015 to the present)
Kajol reunited with Shah Rukh Khan for the seventh time in Rohit Shetty's action romance Dilwale (2015), after a five-year gap. She played Meera Dev Malik, the daughter of a mafia don who falls in love with a member of a rival family. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with Mint calling it the "most tiresome film of the year." Because of the mixed critical response, she expressed regret for choosing the film over the thriller Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016). Despite the minor character, Kajol's performance received favourable feedback; in the words of Suhani Singh of India Today, "Kajol is a radiant presence on the screen and delivers what's expected out of her—which is not much." Dilwale became a huge commercial success, generating more than 3.8 billion (US$48 million) globally, making it one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. Kajol's performance earned her nominations for Best Actress at several award events, including Filmfare.
Later same year, she made her debut as a producer with Vitti Dandu, a Marathi historical drama co-produced by Ajay Devgn and Leena Deore about a grandfather and his grandson. The film was favourably appreciated by critics and earned the Best Marathi Film award at the Screen Awards. In 2017, Kajol co-starred with Dhanush in Velaiilla Pattadhari 2, a sequel to the 2014 masala blockbuster and her second Tamil-language film following Minsara Kanavu. Vasundhara Parameshwar, the chairwoman of Vasundhara Constructions, was cast as her character. Kajol was worried about shooting the film, but she eventually accepted the job because she trusted Dhanush and director Soundarya Rajinikanth, praising them for providing her the courage she needed to play in a non-Hindi film. Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 received a bad critical response but did well financially, and Kajol was hailed for her elegance and suitability for the character.
In the 2018 drama Helicopter Eela, based on Anand Gandhi's Gujarati play Beta, Kaagdo, Kajol played a helicopter mother with aspirations to be a singer who enrols at her son's (Riddhi Sen) college to complete her degree. She was drawn to the character because of its vibrant personality and her relationship with her son. The film failed both commercially and critically, and Kajol's performance received mixed reviews. According to a Scroll.in reviewer, she "doesn't have Riddhi Sen's comfort level in the comic scenes." When the movie finally ends, she calms down." Raja Sen, writing in the Hindustan Times, criticised her boisterousness but stated that the film's director, Pradeep Sarkar, "lucked out with his heroine." Kajol is full of energy, and her joy is contagious, even when her overly enthusiastic character comes across as too chirpy." The same year, she voiced Helen Parr in the Hindi version of the computer-animated superhero film Incredibles 2.
By 2020, which The Telegraph dubbed a "big year" for Kajol, she had chosen to focus on the value of character above its length. Tanhaji, a period drama co-starring Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan, was her first release of the year. Based on Tanaji Malusare's life, it went on to become the year's highest-grossing picture, grossing $3.67 billion (US$46 million). She portrayed Tanhaji's wife Savitribai, whom she described as a powerful figure who reminded her of herself. Despite her minimal screen time, critics praised her performance. Later that year, she appeared in her debut short film, Devi, a suspense drama about nine women who are isolated in one room from the outside world. Critics praised it, and Kajol was singled out for leading the eclectic ensemble. Devi received the Filmfare Short Film Awards for Best Film (Popular Choice).
Renuka Shahane's social drama Tribhanga (2021) was Kajol's next film, and it was her first cooperation with Netflix. It is set in Mumbai and revolves around the intergenerational disputes of three women from the same family (Kajol, Mithila Palkar, and Tanvi Azmi), with Kajol playing foul-mouthed Odissi dancer Anuradha Apte. She saw parallels between the three main characters' relationships and her own with her mother and daughter. The film, as well as Kajol's performance in it, garnered favourable reviews. NDTV's Saibal Chatterjee praised her for creating the thrilling atmosphere required for the film to "keep trundling along at an even pace"; The Quint's Stutee Ghosh found Azmi and Kajol's strong performances to have "a stunning hold and it's difficult to focus on anyone else when they are in the frame." Her performance was nominated for Best Actress at the 2nd Filmfare OTT Awards.
In 2022, Kajol starred in Revathi's family drama Salaam Venky, which earned mixed reviews from reviewers and audiences, with acclaim primarily focused on the stars' performances. The Good Wife, a legal drama on Disney+ Hotstar, will be Kajol's next project. An adaption of the same-named American television show. Her other projects include Netflix's Lust Stories 2 and the upcoming Dharma Productions film with Prithviraj and Ibrahim Ali Khan.
Work done away from the camera
Kajol took part in the "Awesome Foursome" concert tour in 1998, alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Akshay Kumar. Kajol refused to engage in any additional international tours after travelling across the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, unable to manage the stress. Following the founding of Ajay Devgn's production firm, Devgan Films (later renamed Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd.), Kajol worked on developing a website: "I'm computer literate. Or, at the very least, I am more knowledgeable about computers than people around me. So I should be able to assist there."
As the company's supervisor, she developed the filmmaking-related internet portal Cineexplore in 2000. In 2009, Devgn founded another company, Ajay Devgn FFilms. Kajol explained that she was not involved in the manufacturing, but rather in the supervising and overseeing. She appeared as a talent judge alongside husband Ajay Devgn and mother Tanuja in Zed TV's 2008 reality show Rock-N-Roll Family, which she found to be a far more difficult experience than acting. In 2016, she was appointed as a part-time employee of the state broadcaster Prasar Bharati. In 2019, she authored the foreword to Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess, a biography of the actress.
Kajol has been active in various charity projects involving women and children. She is active with Shiksha, a non-governmental agency dedicated to children's education, and in 2009 she launched a campaign to raise funds for the organisation. In 2011, Kajol took part in a fashion show to raise funds for the Cancer Patients Aid Association, as well as serving as the international goodwill ambassador and patron of The Loomba Trust (a charity organisation dedicated to assisting widows and their children around the world, particularly in India). Kajol was named the brand ambassador of Pratham, a charitable organisation for children, in 2012, and she appeared in a short film about education and literacy with pupils from Mumbai's Hanuman Basti Primary School to support it. That same year, she produced a documentary promoting girl child safety as part of the Maharashtra government's "Save the Girl Child" programme. Kajol received the Karmaveer Puraskar for her contributions to humanitarian service.
Private life
While filming Gundaraj in 1994, Kajol met actor Ajay Devgn. Members of the media, on the other hand, dubbed them a "unlikely pair" due to their opposing personalities. "We never resorted to the usual 'I love you' routine," Devgn said of their relationship. A proposition was never made. We grew up together. Marriage was never discussed, but it was always on the horizon." On February 24, 1999, the pair married in a traditional Maharashtrian wedding at Devgn's home. The wedding drew widespread media attention, with some criticising Kajol's decision to marry at the top of her career. Kajol, on the other hand, insisted that she would not stop acting, but would reduce the quantity of work she did.
Kajol moved in with Devgn and his parents at the latter's ancestral home in Juhu after her marriage. Tabloids have frequently romantically associated Devgn with other Bollywood actresses, and an impending divorce has been reported. Kajol dismissed the rumours as gossip and stated that she did not pay heed to such discussion. Kajol prefers not to discuss her personal life and dislikes being questioned, calling it a "waste of time." Nysa, her daughter, was born on April 20, 2003. Yug, her son, was born seven years later, on September 13, 2010. She praised parenting as "fabulous," adding that her children brought out the "best in her." Kajol has been using the surname Devgn since 2015. She is fluent in English, Hindi, and Marathi, and "understands Bengali."
Reception and screen persona
Kajol is well-known for her innate acting ability. According to the Hindu, she "does not act out her scenes and deliver her lines; she inhabits her characters." Following a string of prominent parts in family dramas, Kajol demonstrated her acting range in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), for which she was cited as one of the first actresses of her generation to play female anti-hero characters, becoming more popular than male actors. On-screen, she was highly recognised for her vibrant and enthusiastic personality. Rajiv Menon praised Kajol as "the joy of the 1990s," and Khalid Mohammed called her "a great packet of talent." According to Open, her spontaneity added "a unique energy" to her films, while Karan Johar stated, "I would call 'action' on a shoot and expect a little atom bomb explosion on set every time Kajol was around because that was who she was." She kept us all guessing." Ashish Rajadhyaksha, a scholar, commented that she was the actress "around whom a script can be written and a film made."
Kajol has appeared in several popular films alongside actor Shah Rukh Khan, and critics have referred to them as one of the greatest on-screen couples in Hindi cinema. India Today claimed that their complete collection of films, ranging from Baazigar (1993) to Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), had grossed over 2 billion (US$25 million) globally, calling this "a magic that subsequent jodis have found difficult to replicate." Following the success of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), many directors attempted to pair the two in subsequent films, including Karan Johar, who directed them in three films in respect to Baazigar, the first film to feature the couple. Kajol and Khan were awarded the "most stylish on-screen couple" in a Filmfare poll in 2013. In an article published the same year comparing her pairing with Khan to that with her husband Ajay Devgn, Filmfare's Parampara Patil Hashmi concluded that both pairings performed well financially, but that the former is far superior because all films starring them were box office successes.
Unlike most of her predecessors, Kajol has maintained a thriving career after marriage and motherhood, earning her the moniker "the archetypal New Age woman." "Perceptions have changed a lot in the last few years," she said of shattering the stereotype. Married actresses are not required to play supporting roles in films. Filmmakers are experimenting, and it is definitely an exciting time for women like us." Journalists predicted that her marriage would mark the end of her career. She has continued to act in films but has become more choosy, owing to a dearth of quality offers and her unwillingness to see herself in "absolutely meaningless films." However, critics pointed out that her success is linked to her connections with filmmakers Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. She defended herself by stating that she prefers to work with people with whom she is familiar. Similar sentiments were echoed by Ramesh Sippy, a film distributor, who remarked that she gave prospects to films in which she starred.
In the news
Kajol at the 2012 Vogue Beauty Awards. The media has identified Kajol's hazel eyes and unibrow as one of her most distinguishing physical attributes.
Kajol has been described as having a remarkable personality by analysts due to her impetuous and obstinate disposition. "Think Kajol, think emotions," Sukanya Verma wrote. She is either a firebrand or an emotional sensitive person. And she can be a lot of fun at times." While interviewing her for the Hindustan Times in 2008, journalist Hiren Kotwani was struck by her candour in answering the questions. India Today speculated that her outspoken personality led to her winning cinema awards, adding, "There is a scintillating spontaneity to Kajol... Film brats are quickly taught the industry's conventional wisdom, the path to success that must be followed. Tanuja may not have taught it, and Kajol may not have listened, because she has abandoned the predictable."
Kajol has been chastised for her lack of concern for her appearance. Gautam Rajadhyaksha remarked that she is unconcerned about haircuts and clothing and would be delighted if she could wear jeans, a white shirt, and a scarf every day. "She hardly looks in the mirror, barely even glances at the set monitor, usually the crutch of every insecure actor, puts on make-up only under extreme duress, and... never watches her old movies," journalist Kaveree Bamzai explained. When compared to Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil, producer Mahesh Bhatt noted that Kajol "may not have [their] earthy sensuality, but she has that extra sparkle in her eyes and a kind of energy she generates on screen that makes her incredible." Filmfare, on the other hand, called her a "unconventional beauty" who "set her own rules in the '90s."
Kajol topped Box Office India's "Top Actresses" list for five years in a row (1995-1999), leading the chart in 1998. Kajol appeared on Rediff.com's annual "Top Bollywood Actresses" list in 2001 and 2006. Rediff.com also included her in the categories "Best Bollywood Actresses Ever", "Best Dressed Woman", and "Top 10 Actresses of 2000-2010". She was ranked fifth as "the all-time favourite female star" in an Outlook survey conducted in 2008. In 2012, NDTV ranked Kajol fourth among "The Most Popular Actresses of All Time," behind Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, and Meena Kumari, while Yahoo! named her "one of the ten most iconic beauties of Hindi cinema." Kajol was named to Forbes India's "Celebrity 100" in 2012, 2013, and 2017, a list based on the wealth and popularity of India's celebrities.
The Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congress awarded Kajol with the Rajiv Gandhi Awards in 2002. She was one of four Bollywood actresses, along with Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan, and Shah Rukh Khan, whose miniature dolls were released in the United Kingdom under the moniker "Bollywood Legends" in 2006. In addition, Kajol and Khan became the first Indian actresses to be asked by NASDAQ to launch the NYSE American in order to promote their film, My Name Is Khan (2010). The next year, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian distinction, for her contributions to Indian cinema. Devendra Fadnavis, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, presented her with the Swabhimani Mumbaikar Awards. In 2018, Kajol debuted her wax statue at Singapore's Madame Tussauds exhibition.
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Kajol Mukherjee |
| Nickname | Kads |
| Profession | Actress |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 161 cm in meters- 1.61 m in Feet Inches- 5' 3” |
| Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- 57 kg in Pounds- 126 lbs |
| Figure Measurements (approx.) | 34-28-34 |
| Eye Colour | Hazel |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 5 August 1974 |
| Age (as of 2022) | 48 Years |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Signature |  |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | St. Joseph's Convent School, Panchgani, Maharashtra |
| College | Did not attend |
| Educational Qualification | School dropout |
| Debut | Film Debut: Bekhudi (1992) TV Debut: Rock-N-Roll Family (2008, as a judge) |
| Family | Father- Late Shomu Mukherjee (Filmmaker) Mother- Tanuja (Actress) Brother- N/A Sister- Tanishaa Mukherjee (Younger, Actress) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Address | 5/6, Sheetal Apartments, Ground Floor, Opposite Chandan Cinema, Juhu, Mumbai 45/D Malgari Road, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Reading, Knitting |
| Favourites | |
| Food | Pizza, Spaghetti Salad with Olives and French Fries |
| Actor | Ajay Devgn, Shah Rukh Khan |
| Actress | Sridevi |
| Film(s) | Bollywood: Sholay, Chaalbaaz Hollywood: Casablanca, Ironman 3, Gone With The Wind |
| Director | Aditya Chopra |
| Book | Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person by Hugh Prather |
| Color | White |
| Perfume | Cool Waters |
| Destination | Europe |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Ajay Devgan, Actor (1999-present) |
| Marriage Date | 24 February 1999 |
| Children | Daughter- Nysa Son- Yug |
| Style Quotient | |
| Cars Collection | Mercedes Benz SUV |
| Assets/Properties | • She owns a property in Powai that spreads out to 771 sq ft and is on the 21st floor of the Atlantis project in Hiranandani Gardens. • In January 2022, she purchased two apartments in Mumbai's Juhu's Ananya building. Reportedly, the apartments are said to be located on the 10th floor of the building, and their combined cost is Rs. 11.95 crore. |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | Rs. 9-12 crore/film (INR) |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $16 million |
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