Kajol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kajol
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Kajol in 2025
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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 |
| Parent(s) |
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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), known simply as Kajol, is a famous Indian actress. She is considered one of the most successful actresses in Hindi cinema and has won many awards for her work. In 2011, she was honored with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest awards for civilians.
Kajol comes from a family with a long history in the film industry. Her mother is the actress Tanuja and her father was the film director Shomu Mukherjee. She made her first movie, Bekhudi (1992), while she was still in school. She decided to leave her studies to become a full-time actress.
She became a huge star in the 1990s with hit romance movies like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). She also received praise for playing more serious roles, like a character with a dark secret in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and a woman seeking justice in Dushman (1998).
After another big success with the family movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), Kajol took a break from acting full-time. She returned to star in hit films like Fanaa (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010). Some of her highest-earning films include the comedy Dilwale (2015) and the historical movie Tanhaji (2020).
Besides acting, Kajol is also a social activist who works to help widows and children. She has been married to actor and filmmaker Ajay Devgn since 1999, and they have two children.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Kajol was born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on August 5, 1974. Her family, the Mukherjee-Samarth family, has been involved in Indian movies for generations. Her mother, Tanuja, is a well-known actress, and her father, Shomu Mukherjee, was a director and producer. Her younger sister, Tanishaa, is also an actress.
Many of her relatives are also famous in Bollywood. Her aunt was the actress Nutan, and her cousins Rani Mukerji and Ayan Mukerji are a famous actress and director.
Kajol has described herself as being mischievous and stubborn as a child. Her parents separated when she was young, but she was raised with a lot of love by her maternal grandmother. She says her mother taught her to be independent from a young age.
She went to a boarding school called St. Joseph's Convent School in Panchgani. Besides her studies, she loved to dance and read books. At age 16, she was offered a role in the movie Bekhudi. She planned to go back to school after filming, but she decided to leave school to focus on her acting career.
Film Career
Early Success (1992–1994)
Kajol's first movie was the 1992 romance Bekhudi. The film was not a box office hit, but people noticed her performance. The next year, she starred in the thriller Baazigar (1993) with Shah Rukh Khan. The movie was a huge success and one of the highest-earning films of the year.
In 1994, she starred in the romance Yeh Dillagi with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. She played a driver's daughter who becomes a successful model. The film was a hit and earned Kajol her first nomination for a Best Actress award. This movie helped establish her as a leading star.
A-List Star (1995–1998)
In 1995, Kajol starred in two of the year's biggest hits. The first was Karan Arjun, an action film where she had a small but glamorous role.
Her second big hit was Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, again with Shah Rukh Khan. They played two young Indians living in London who fall in love on a trip through Europe. The movie was a massive success and became the longest-running Indian film of all time. It won ten Filmfare Awards, including Kajol's first win for Best Actress.
In 1997, Kajol surprised audiences by playing a villain in the thriller Gupt: The Hidden Truth. Her performance was praised, and she became the first woman to win the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
1998 was another amazing year for Kajol. She starred in three of the highest-grossing films of the year. These were Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. In Dushman, she played twin sisters and earned great reviews for her performance.
Her biggest success of 1998 was Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, directed by Karan Johar. She played Anjali, a tomboy who is in love with her best friend (Shah Rukh Khan). The film was a blockbuster in India and around the world. Kajol won her second Best Actress award at the Filmfare Awards for her role.
Continued Success and Sabbatical (1999–2001)
After her marriage in 1999, Kajol continued to act in films like Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain. For this film, she was nominated again for the Best Actress award.
In 2001, she starred in Karan Johar's family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.... The movie had a large cast of famous actors, including Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Hrithik Roshan. Kajol played a fun-loving young woman from the Chandni Chowk area of Delhi. Her performance was a highlight of the film, and she won her third Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
After this film, Kajol took a break from acting to focus on her family and marriage.
Return to Acting (2006–2020)
Kajol returned to the big screen in 2006 with the romantic thriller Fanaa, starring opposite Aamir Khan. She played a blind Kashmiri woman who falls in love with a terrorist. The film was a major success, and Kajol won her fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
In 2010, she reunited with Shah Rukh Khan for My Name Is Khan. The film was about the challenges faced by Muslims in America after the 9/11 attacks. Kajol played Mandira, a single mother who marries a man with Asperger syndrome. Her emotional performance was praised by critics worldwide, and she won a record-tying fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
After another five-year break, she appeared in the action-romance Dilwale (2015), once again with Shah Rukh Khan. The film was a huge commercial success, earning over ₹3.8 billion worldwide.
In 2020, she starred in the historical drama Tanhaji with her husband, Ajay Devgn. She played Savitribai, the wife of the warrior Tanaji Malusare. The film was the highest-grossing film of the year.
Streaming Projects (2021–present)
In 2021, Kajol starred in her first Netflix film, Tribhanga. The movie is about the relationship between three generations of women in one family. Her performance as a strong-willed dancer received positive reviews.
In 2023, she starred in the legal drama series The Trial on Disney+ Hotstar. The show is an adaptation of the American series The Good Wife. Critics praised her performance in the series.
Off-Screen Work
Kajol is known for her charity work, especially for causes related to women and children. She works with an organization called Shiksha, which focuses on children's education. She is also a goodwill ambassador for The Loomba Trust, a charity that supports widows and their children.
In 2008, she was a judge on the reality TV show Rock-N-Roll Family with her husband Ajay and mother Tanuja. She has also held a management position at her husband's company, Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd.
Personal Life
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Kajol began dating actor Ajay Devgn in 1994 while they were filming the movie Gundaraj. People in the media thought they were an "unlikely pair" because they had very different personalities.
The couple got married on February 24, 1999, in a traditional ceremony at Ajay's house. Kajol decided to continue acting after marriage but chose to do fewer films.
Kajol and Ajay have two children. Their daughter, Nysa, was born on April 20, 2003. Their son, Yug, was born on September 13, 2010. Kajol has said that being a mother is "fab" and that her children bring out the best in her.
In the Media
Kajol is known for being energetic, outspoken, and straightforward. Many journalists and critics have noted her fun and spontaneous personality. She is often praised for her natural acting style and the energy she brings to the screen.
For five years in a row (1995–1999), Box Office India listed her as one of the top actresses in Bollywood. In 2012, she was named one of "the ten most iconic beauties of Hindi cinema" by Yahoo!.
In 2006, a miniature doll of Kajol was released in the United Kingdom as part of the "Bollywood Legends" collection. In 2018, a wax statue of her was unveiled at the Madame Tussauds museum in Singapore.
See also
In Spanish: Kajol para niños
- List of Indian film actresses
