Kajol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kajol
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Kajol in 2023
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Kajol Mukherjee
5 August 1974 Bombay, Maharashtra, India
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
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| Family | Mukherjee-Samarth family |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honours | Padma Shri (2011) |
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Kajol Devgan, born Kajol Mukherjee on August 5, 1974, is a famous Indian actress. Many people consider her one of the most successful actresses in Hindi cinema (Bollywood). She has won many awards, including six Filmfare Awards, with five for Best Actress. In 2011, the Indian government gave her the Padma Shri, a high honor.
Kajol is the daughter of actress Tanuja and director Shomu Mukherjee. She started acting in 1992 with the film Bekhudi while still in school. Later, she left school to act full-time. She became very popular with hit movies like Baazigar (1993) and Yeh Dillagi (1994). Her roles in romantic films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) made her a top star in the 1990s. These roles also earned her two Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. She was also praised for her roles in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and Dushman (1998).
After starring in the family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), which won her a third Filmfare Award, Kajol took a break from acting full-time. She worked less often in the following years. She won two more Best Actress awards for her roles in the romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) and the drama My Name Is Khan (2010). Her most successful films include the comedy Dilwale (2015) and the historical film Tanhaji (2020). More recently, she has appeared in online projects like Tribhanga (2021), The Trial (2023), and Do Patti (2024).
Besides acting, Kajol is also a social activist. She works to help widows and children. In 2008, she was a judge on the reality show Rock-N-Roll Family. She also holds a management position at Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd. Kajol has been married to actor and filmmaker Ajay Devgn since 1999. They have two children together.
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Kajol's Early Life and Family
Kajol was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on August 5, 1974. Her mother, Tanuja, is an actress. Her father, Shomu Mukherjee, was a film director and producer. Her younger sister, Tanishaa, is also an actress.
Kajol comes from a family of many actors and filmmakers. Her maternal aunt was actress Nutan. Her maternal grandmother, Shobhna Samarth, and great-grandmother, Rattan Bai, were also involved in Hindi cinema. Her paternal uncles, Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee, are film producers. Her grandfathers, Sashadhar Mukherjee and Kumarsen Samarth, were filmmakers. Kajol's cousins Rani Mukerji, Sharbani Mukherjee, and Mohnish Behl are also actors. Ayan Mukerji is a director.
Kajol describes herself as a playful, stubborn, and impulsive child. Her parents separated when she was young. However, Kajol said this did not affect her much. Her maternal grandmother took care of her. Kajol felt her grandmother "never let me feel that my mother was away and working." Kajol believes her mother taught her to be independent from a young age. She grew up with two different cultures. She got her "Maharashtrian pragmatism" from her mother and her "Bengali temperament" from her father. Kajol is a Hindu. She celebrates the Durga Puja festival every year with the Mukherjee family.
Kajol went to St. Joseph's Convent School, Panchgani. She enjoyed reading fiction, which helped her through tough times. In the early 1990s, her mother tried to direct a film to launch her as an actress, but it was stopped. At sixteen, Kajol started working on Bekhudi. She was cast after visiting the studio of photographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who wrote the film's story. She planned to return to school after her two-month summer vacation. However, she dropped out to become a full-time actress. She later said she regretted leaving school.
Kajol's Film Career
Early Acting Roles (1992–1994)
Kajol made her acting debut at age seventeen in the 1992 romantic drama Bekhudi. She starred alongside Kamal Sadanah and her mother Tanuja. Kajol played Radhika, a girl who falls in love against her parents' wishes. The film did not do well at the box office. However, Kajol's acting received positive attention.
The next year, she appeared in Abbas–Mustan's crime thriller Baazigar (1993). This film was the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year. She starred with Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty. Kajol played Priya Chopra, a young woman who falls in love with her sister's killer. Baazigar was her first film with Shah Rukh Khan. Her performance was noticed, but some criticized her looks.
In 1994, Kajol played an orphaned girl in Udhaar Ki Zindagi. She visits her grandparents (Jeetendra and Moushumi Chatterjee). The film did not succeed financially. However, Kajol won the Best Actress (Hindi) award from the Bengal Film Journalists' Association. This film was very emotional for Kajol. She later said it affected her so much that she almost had a crisis. Because of this, she decided to choose lighter films next. These films included Hulchul, Gundaraj, and Karan Arjun, all released a year later.
She became more widely known for her role in Yeh Dillagi. This romance was produced by Yash Raj Films. It was based on the 1953 American play Sabrina Fair. She played Sapna, a chauffeur's daughter who becomes a model. She 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. It earned her a first Best Actress nomination. Critics noted her believable performance.
Becoming a Leading Actress (1995–1998)
In 1995, Kajol had two big hits with Shah Rukh Khan: Karan Arjun and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Karan Arjun was an action film about reincarnation. Kajol had a small role as Sonia Saxena Singh, Khan's love interest. She said she wanted an "ornamental role" and did not have much to do except look glamorous. This film was the second-highest-grossing film of the year in India. Kajol's next films—Taaqat, Hulchul, and Gundaraj—did not do well. The last two were her first films with her future husband, Ajay Devgn.
In Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kajol's last film of 1995, she and Shah Rukh Khan played non-resident Indians from London. They fall in love during a trip to Europe. They reunite in India to convince her conservative father to cancel her arranged marriage. Kajol felt a strong connection to her character, Simran. This film is one of the most successful Indian films ever. It has been playing continuously in Mumbai for over 1000 weeks. It is the longest-running Indian film. The film also won ten Filmfare Awards, including Kajol's first Best Actress award. Critics loved the film. Raja Sen from Rediff.com said Kajol was perfect as Simran.
In 1997, Kajol played a negative role in Gupt: The Hidden Truth. This was a big change from her usual sweet roles. The director, Rajiv Rai, praised her acting. The film was a success. India Today noted Kajol's strong performance. The Times of India said she was "probably the first to have broken her goody-two-shoes image." Rediff.com listed her performance as one of the best villain performances. Kajol became the first female actor to win the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. She later said she took the role to avoid being typecast.
After Hameshaa, Kajol starred in the Tamil film Minsara Kanavu. She found dancing with Prabhu Deva difficult. She played Priya Amalraj, a convent student who wants to be a nun. Her voice was dubbed by actress Revathi. The Indian Express praised her expressive face. The Hindi version of the film, Sapnay, did not do well. Her next film was Indra Kumar's comedy-drama Ishq. She starred with Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Ajay Devgn. This film was a commercial success.
In 1998, Kajol starred in three of the highest-grossing films of the year: Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. All three were nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Film, with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai winning. In Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, she played a simple village girl. She then played twin sisters, Sonia and Naina, in Dushman. The film was about Naina seeking revenge for Sonia's murder. Kajol's performance was highly praised. She won the Screen Award for Best Actress.
Anees Bazmee's romantic comedy Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha followed. It was a remake of the 1995 American film French Kiss. The film was a hit. Kajol received another Best Actress nomination. Critics called it "Kajol's film all the way."
Kajol's biggest success of 1998 was Karan Johar's first film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It was a huge hit in India and overseas. Kajol played Anjali Sharma, a tomboy college student secretly in love with her best friend (Shah Rukh Khan). Years later, they meet again. He is a widower, and she is engaged. Critics found Kajol's performance bold and convincing. She won her second Best Actress award at the 44th Filmfare Awards. Filmfare magazine included her performances in Dushman and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai as "80 Most Iconic performances."
Reduced Workload (1999–2001)
After her marriage, Kajol's first film was Dil Kya Kare. She played the "other woman" in Ajay Devgn's character's life. She said she took the role because it had "shades of grey." The film received mostly negative reviews and did not do well financially.
The drama Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain did well with critics and audiences. She starred with Anil Kapoor. This film gave her experience with a "stereotypical, sacrificing woman role." It earned her another Best Actress Filmfare nomination. Her last film of the year was Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya.
The next year, Kajol and her husband starred in his film Raju Chacha. It was about a conman and a governess of three children. This children's film was one of the most expensive Hindi films at the time. However, it did not do well. In Rahul Rawail's Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi (2001), Kajol played twin sisters separated at birth. The film and Kajol's dual role were not well-received. Both Raju Chacha and Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi were box office failures.
Later that year, Kajol played a main role in Karan Johar's drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.... This film was the highest-grossing Indian film ever in overseas markets. She played Anjali Sharma, a young Punjabi woman who falls for a wealthy man. Kajol found similarities between her character and Hema Malini's role in Sholay (1975). The role required her to speak in Punjabi, which she was not fluent in. She learned with help from the crew. Her comedic and dramatic performance was praised. She won a third Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
After Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., Kajol took a break from full-time acting. She said she did this to focus on her marriage. Many thought her career was over at this time.
Intermittent Work and Success (2006–2020)
Kunal Kohli's romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) marked Kajol's return to films. She played Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman who falls in love with a terrorist (Aamir Khan). The film was called her "comeback," but she disliked the term. She said she only took a break, not retired. The film was a financial success. Both the film and Kajol's performance were well-received. Fanaa earned Kajol a fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
Kajol worked occasionally for the rest of the decade. In 2007, she started filming for Ramayana, where she played the goddess Sita. She considered her husband's film U Me Aur Hum (2008) special. In it, she played Piya Thapar, a woman with Alzheimer's disease. The film did not do well financially. However, she received another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.
Kajol next starred with Shah Rukh Khan in My Name Is Khan (2010). The film was about American Muslims facing discrimination after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was the first Indian film distributed by Fox Star Studios. It was a success internationally. My Name Is Khan was shown at several film festivals. Kajol's role as Mandira, a Hindu single mother who marries a Muslim man with Asperger syndrome, was praised. For this film, Kajol won her fifth Best Actress award at Filmfare. She now shares the record with her late aunt, Nutan.
In the same year, Kajol starred in We Are Family. It was based on the 1998 American drama Stepmom. She played Maya, a character she related to as a "control freak." Critics praised Kajol's performance. Her next film that year, Toonpur Ka Super Hero, was a mix of live-action and animation. Kajol played Priya Kumar, a woman stuck in a cartoon world. She found dubbing for the film challenging. The film did not do well. She took another break after her son was born in 2010.
After five years, Kajol teamed up with Shah Rukh Khan again in Rohit Shetty's Dilwale (2015). She played Meera Dev Malik, the daughter of a mafia leader who falls for a man from a rival family. Critics had mixed opinions about the film. Kajol later said she regretted choosing this film over Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016). Still, Kajol's acting received positive comments. Dilwale was a huge commercial success. It is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. Kajol was nominated for Best Actress at various awards.
Later that year, she became a producer for the Marathi film Vitti Dandu. It explored the relationship between a grandfather and grandson. The film won an award and was well-received. In 2017, Kajol starred in Velaiilla Pattadhari 2, a Tamil-language film. She played Vasundhara Parameshwar, the chairwoman of a construction company. Kajol was unsure about doing a non-Hindi film. However, she trusted Dhanush and director Soundarya Rajinikanth. The film received negative reviews but was a financial success.
In 2018, Kajol played a mother who enrolls in her son's college in Helicopter Eela. She was drawn to the role because of the character's personality and her relationship with her son. The film did not do well. Kajol's performance was not well-received. The same year, she voiced Helen Parr in the Hindi version of Incredibles 2.
By 2020, Kajol said she cared more about the importance of a character than its screen time. Her first film of the year was the historical drama Tanhaji. She co-starred with Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan. Based on the life of Tanaji Malusare, it became the highest-grossing film of the year. She played Tanhaji's wife, Savitribai. She called her a strong character, similar to herself. Critics praised her performance despite her limited screen time. Later in the year, she appeared in her first short film, Devi. It was a suspense drama about nine women sharing a room. It received positive reviews, and Kajol was praised for leading the cast.
Streaming Projects (2021–Present)
Kajol's next project was Renuka Shahane's social drama Tribhanga (2021). This was her first film with Netflix. It was about the conflicts between three women from one family (Kajol, Mithila Palkar, and Tanvi Azmi). Kajol played Anuradha Apte, an Odissi dancer. She found similarities between the characters' relationships and her own with her mother and daughter. The film and Kajol's performance received positive reviews. Her performance was nominated for Best Actress at the 2nd Filmfare OTT Awards.
In Do Patti (2024), Kajol played a Bihari police officer. She investigates a domestic abuse case involving twin sisters (Kriti Sanon). The Hindu praised her for bringing "her innate spontaneity" to the character. However, they felt her performance was limited by weak writing.
Kajol will next star alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran and Ibrahim Ali Khan in the thriller, Sarzameen.
Off-Screen Work and Philanthropy
In 1998, Kajol joined a concert tour called "Awesome Foursome." She performed with Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Akshay Kumar. After touring the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, Kajol decided not to do more world tours. She found the stress too much.
In 1999, Ajay Devgn launched his production company, Devgan Films. Kajol helped build its website. She said, "I'm computer savvy. Or at least I know more about computers than those around me. So I should be of some help there." In 2000, she launched Cineexplore, an online portal for filmmaking, and worked as a supervisor. Devgn started another company, Ajay Devgn FFilms, in 2009. Kajol said she was not involved in production but helped with supervising.
She was a judge with her husband Ajay Devgn and mother Tanuja on Zee TV's 2008 reality show Rock-N-Roll Family. She found judging much harder than acting in films. In 2016, she became a part-time member of the public broadcaster Prasar Bharati. In 2019, she wrote the introduction for a book about actress Sridevi.
Kajol is very active in helping women and children. She works with Shiksha, a non-governmental organisation for children's education. In 2009, she started a campaign to support this cause. In 2011, Kajol participated in a fashion show for the Cancer Patients Aid Association to raise money. She is also an international goodwill ambassador for The Loomba Trust. This charity helps widows and their children worldwide, especially in India.
In 2012, Kajol became the brand ambassador for Pratham, a children's charity. She appeared in a short film about education and literacy with students in Mumbai. Also that year, she made a documentary about protecting girl children. This was part of the Government of Maharashtra's "Save the Girl Child" campaign. For her social work, Kajol received the Karmaveer Puraskar award.
Personal Life
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Kajol started dating actor Ajay Devgn in 1994 while filming Gundaraj. The media called them an "unlikely pair" because they had different personalities. Devgn said, "We never resorted to the usual 'I love you' routine. A proposal never happened. We grew with each other. Marriage was never discussed, but it was always imminent."
The couple married on February 24, 1999. It was a traditional Maharashtrian ceremony at Devgn's house. The wedding received a lot of media attention. Some criticized Kajol for marrying at the peak of her career. However, Kajol said she would not quit films but would work less.
After her marriage, Kajol moved in with Devgn and his parents. Tabloids often linked Devgn with other actresses and reported rumors of divorce. Kajol dismissed these rumors as gossip and said she did not pay attention to them.
Kajol prefers not to talk much about her personal life. She dislikes interviews, calling them "a waste of time." She gave birth to a daughter, Nysa, on April 20, 2003. Seven years later, on September 13, 2010, she gave birth to a son, Yug. She described motherhood as "fab" and said her children brought out "the best in her." Kajol has used Devgn as her surname since 2015. She speaks English, Hindi, and Marathi. She can also understand Bengali.
Kajol in the Media
Kajol is known for her impulsive and strong personality. Commentators describe her as having a striking presence. Sukanya Verma wrote, "Think Kajol, think emotions." She is seen as a "firebrand" or an "emotional sensitive type." She can also be "pure, wicked fun." A journalist noted her straightforwardness in interviews. India Today suggested her outspoken behavior helped her win awards. They commented, "There is a sparkling spontaneity to Kajol."
Kajol has been criticized for not focusing on her appearance. Gautam Rajadhyaksha said she did not care about hairstyles or clothes. She would be happy wearing jeans, a white shirt, and a scarf every day. Journalist Kaveree Bamzai said, "She hardly looks into the mirror... puts on make-up only under extreme duress." Comparing her to other actresses, producer Mahesh Bhatt said Kajol "has that extra sparkle in her eyes and a kind of energy she generates on screen." Filmfare magazine called her an "unconventional beauty." They added that she "set her own rules in the '90s."
Kajol was listed in Box Office India's "Top Actresses" for five years (1995–1999). She topped the list in 1998. In 2001 and 2006, Rediff.com included her in its "Top Bollywood Actresses" list. Rediff.com also featured her in lists like "Best Bollywood Actresses Ever" and "Top 10 Actresses of 2000–2010." In a 2008 poll, she was ranked fifth as "the all-time favorite female star." In 2012, NDTV placed Kajol fourth in "The Most Popular Actress of All Time." Yahoo! featured her as "one of the ten most iconic beauties of Hindi cinema." Forbes India included Kajol in its "Celebrity 100" list in 2012, 2013, and 2017. This list is based on income and popularity.
In 2002, Kajol received the Rajiv Gandhi Awards. In 2006, miniature dolls of Kajol and three other Bollywood actors were launched in the United Kingdom. They were called "Bollywood Legends." Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan were the first Indian actors invited by NASDAQ to open the NYSE American. This was to promote their film, My Name Is Khan (2010). The next year, the Government of India honored her with the Padma Shri. This is the fourth-highest civilian honor in the country. It was for her contributions to Indian cinema. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis honored her with the Swabhimani Mumbaikar Awards. Kajol unveiled her wax statue at Singapore's Madame Tussauds museum in 2018.
Images for kids
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Kajol in 2023
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Kajol's signature
See also
In Spanish: Kajol para niños
- List of Indian film actresses
- List of Bengali actresses
